Days Past
by Sumei1
Summary: [Time travel, AU] Kakashi, Sakura, and Naruto find themselves 2o years into the past, and familiar faces from Kakashi's past appear. What will happen? How will they react? Enter Team Minato! Disclaimer: All characters and ideas from 'Naruto' belong to Maasashi Kishimoto and the creators of it.
1. Stuck in the past

**This went through a major rewrite to make it less boring—though I have a feeling I didn't make it very much more exciting . . . . All the information is basically the same, so it's not necessary to reread it.**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

**Kakashi's perspective**

After the day of training the first thing Naruto had requested was ramen. Which would be fine—except the fact that Naruto asked after every single practice, and he was capable of eating five bowls of ramen straight—six or more if he was hungry enough. I still wondered how Iruka managed to stand it. . . .

"Please Kakashi-sensei!" He pleaded.

I sighed, "No Naruto. I won't treat you to ramen." The _first_ time I had done so . . . that had been a major rookie mistake which I'd never make again. Let's just say, my wallet had been very sad after.

"Naruto! He said no!" Sakura yelled, making to punch Naruto. I eye-smiled, ah, students were so adorable.

"Hai, hai," Naruto said, excitement deflated, half because of my answer, and half because of the prospect of Sakura's chakra-filled punch.

"Wait." I held out my hand quickly, causing Sakura and Naruto to stop. "Something's off." Something in the air, the tension in it. Currently Konoha was in a period of peace, there shouldn't be worry so obviously laced in the air. So much worry.

My one eye scanned Konoha. The roads . . . the roads! The winded pathways went in directions that were unfamiliar, except to a part of my memory from a long time ago. That was it! They were structured differently from before . . . they looked like what they had before the Kyuubi attack! My gaze immediately snapped to the Uchiha compound—it wasn't blocked off by caution tape, and I could see some people in the town square that had the Uchiha crest on the backs of their shirts. The Uchiha massacre and coup d'etat . . . .

The Hokage monument! One, two, three faces, then blank stone, waiting to be carved. No Minato-sensei or Tsunade. What was going on?

I turned around quickly, sensing a hostile presence behind us. A white mask with dark blue markings stared back at me, though I could see the shock registered in the eyes behind the mask. ANBU, and probably a new one if he didn't realize I could sense him. I _had_ been an ANBU captain, and I took quite a bit of pride in my skills. "You will come with us. Hokage-sama wishes to see you," he announced in a bored voice, covering up his shock, though I could see he had a kunai gripped tightly in his left hand.

Before Naruto could attack him, I grasped his shoulder in a comforting gesture, though I sent a small shock a chakra through my hand. Hopefully he would get the idea, _do not attack_. Following the ANBU, I discretely scanned around us. Four ANBU were behind us, and two on each side. Did we really appear to be such a big threat?

* * *

"Come in," the gruff voice of the Sandaime, Sarutobi Hiruzen called. He was sitting at his desk, in the normal Hokage attire, shuffling through the papers on his desk—though it wasn't in a monstrous pile like on Tsunade's desk.

For a while, the only sound was the wind, howling outside of the window, as Hiruzen and I stared at each other. Finally, I saw it fit to break the silence, "Hello, Hokage-sama. You wanted to see me and my companions?"

"Yes, yes. We would like you to explain who you are, and why you are here," he said, dark brown eyes anaylzing us. He'd probably already noticed how much Naruto looked like Minato, and how much I looked like my younger self. Hopefully my whole 'one eye' thing made us look separate enough.

"I am Hatake Urushi," I said calmly, the lie slipping through my mouth easily. After all, half of a shinobi's life seems to be lies, trickery, and deceit. "This is Uzumaki Arashi, and Haruno Sasami." I put my hands on their heads.

"And of what relation of you to Hatake Kakashi?" Hiruzen asked, and I could feel Naruto and Sakura stiffen from under my fingers. Ah, they probably weren't expecting that, though they must've noticed the Hokage monument. Or at _least_ Sakura must've, right?

"Uncle," I said, face still blank as a sheet.

"Why are you and your . . . companions, here?" He asked.

"Ma, students actually, and we're here . . ." well, we had hitai-ate already, so no use denying it, though as Hokage, Hiruzen probably knew all the citizens . . . . "To see my brother," I lied. Sakumo, had never really been a whole 'talk about family' guy, so there was no need to worry there, though I had to check what point in time we were in . . . .

"Oh," Hiruzen's voice sobered drastically. "I'm sorry. Your brother is dead. He was disgraced and did seppuku." I had a feeling Naruto and Sakura were thoroughly shocked. There _was_ reasons why I had hid my past from them. One was that I didn't exactly want them to know how I had gotten my teachings from, _"those who disobey the rules are scum, but those who leave their friends are worse than scum._" Obito . . . hopefully this wouldn't go on very long. I was not exactly jumping for joy to see my team-mate die all over again. Or Rin . . . . Or Minato . . . though Naruto did have a right to see his father in real life.

"Oh . . ." the words escaped my mouth without consent. "Well," I smiled sadly, "I would like to show my students around Konoha for a while if that's alright."

"Yes, yes. I'll have . . . Minato!" Hiruzen called.

A tall man with bright yellow hair and shining blue eyes walked in. He had a cyan blue turtleneck and jounin vest on. "Yes Hokage-sama?" My throat tightened as the blue eyes smiled at me so innocently, not showing any accusing stares for killing Rin and letting Obito die. Even though it hadn't happened yet, I felt like Minato was just waiting to scorn me . . . .

"I'd like you to look after this group, and show them around. They will be staying in the Hatake compound," Hiruzen ordered.

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Minato bowed. "Alright, follow me!" He smiled and showed us out of the Hokage office.

* * *

"This is library, academy, Ichiraku Ramen—excellent ramen shop, though it's quite new," Minato added and I subsided a laugh. Even though it had technically been twenty years, Minato was still the same as the Minato from my memories. "There's the flower shop, ran by the Yamanaka Clan . . ." I shut out Minato's voice, seeing I already knew about where everything was. ". . . Here's the Hatake compound. I'll see you guys later, you can join us for training," Minato finished.

"Thank you," I nodded, staring at my old home. When had I moved out? Maybe ten . . . fifteen years? It was shocking how comforting it felt to see the old house, despite the fact I had initially left because I couldn't stand it.

I lead Naruto and Sakura inside and pointed out the rooms. "That's the study, my former bedroom, the bathroom, the kitchen, storage room, and that's the room we're staying in. Stay out of the study, my former bedroom, and the other bedroom upstairs," I said. I didn't want to tell them the other bedroom had been my father's.

"Okay!" Naruto chirped, and he ran down the hallway to the room I'd pointed at. He laid out his bed and flopped on his back. "Ah, so relaxing . . ." he sighed contentedly.

I closed the door behind us and sat down,"Well, you guys feel free to sleep. Get up in the morning." Even though I usually slept, I decided to take a walk at night, and see what changed.

"Sure," Sakura yawned and got under her covers.

Naruto unpacked his bag and tucked on his panda hat. "Yosh! I'll kick your mini-self's butt at training tomorrow Kakashi-sensei!" he announced.

"It's Urushi-sensei, and I highly doubt that," I said with a bored tone. Even at seven, I had been . . . chunin? Yeah, maybe Naruto would manage to, but chunin at seven and jounin at twelve was pretty good! "Well, good night." I extinguished the candle, and the room went dark. I got under the covers and waited for them to sleep.

* * *

**Later that night . . . .**

I strolled around Konoha, observing what had changed.

Well, it was nice being able to walk through the Uchiha compound without having to sneak past yellow caution tape and other shinobi. I paused outside one building and stared up. Before I could stop myself, I jumped onto the windowsill with no sound, and looked at the boy's sleeping form . . . Obito.

He was alive and well, and sleeping habits nearly replicated Naruto. How alike they were, except the fact Obito was usually a hour late. I smiled and lost concentration, and the wood beams under me creaked gently. Not a lot, but enough. And Obito, for however horrible of a shinobi he was, was at least able to pick up my careless mistake. His eyes snapped open and he looked outside the window.

"H-hello?" He called out. I smiled from the roof above, remembering how Obito was freaked out at the prospect of ghosts. Deciding to let him sleep in peace, I resisted the urge to start making ghostly noises, and instead made way on the rooftops.

Next . . . Rin . . . .

Rin was from a village-family but had chosen to become a shinobi as it was in the middle of the war, and medics like her were rare.

I landed on the middle of the street, and jumped up onto the porch outside of her room. Rin was snoring gently, purple stripes on her cheeks puffing up and down with her breaths. It was a nice change from the reoccurring nightmares of seeing her in front of me, chidori stuck in her chest, with her whispering my name. Yeah, this was _definitely_ better than that.

Hopping down form the porch, I headed back to the Hatake compound, hoping my younger self restrained from permanently maiming Naruto as he was exactly like Obito, personality-wise. I landed inside the room and waved at Naruto cheerfully.

"Kakashi-sensei . . ." He muttered in a sleepy-daze.

"Mmm Naruto?" I said absentmindedly.

"What were you like as a kid?" I froze. How to explain? Well . . . if I was an bystander and I looked at me and my younger self and was told that the stoic little kid was going to become me . . . I would've laughed and say 'who are you trying to trick?'. I was not a pleasant child—poor Minato, how did he survive me?

"Ma . . . I was an . . . _interesting_ child," I said hesitantly. Hopefully that had several different meanings.

Naruto gave a grin, and dashed out the door in search of mini-me. Kami help him, I prayed.


	2. Friendly spar?

**Chapter 2**

**Naruto's perspective**

I ran out of the hallway, energy surging through me.

The Yodamine, fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze—the Yellow Flash, my _father_ was alive! I felt like laughing out loud, until I smashed into somebody. I looked up at a boy, who was glaring at me, and he seemed completely undeterred after my crash. How did he do that? He shouldn't have enough chakra control to be able to stay upright after that—I was practically twice his weight!

"Are you one of the idiots my uncle brought?" He grumbled and I felt like yelling indigently, I wasn't an idiot!—usually . . . most of the time!

"Uh, yes . . .?" I said, feeling confused after my initial annoyance passed. Who was this kid's uncle? And why was he here . . . wait! My brain finally connected the dots. He must be Kakashi! "Is your name Kakashi?"

"Yes," He said, and if possible, his voice got even more annoyed. I noticed he had a hitai-ate on, even though he was probably seven. He couldn't be a genin already, which meant he must've taken his father's hitai-ate and started playing with it . . . .

"Are you playing ninja? Where's you dad?" I looked around, not noticing mini-Kakashi's venomous glare.

"My father is dead," he said in a cold, dead voice. It chilled me to the bone. How was _this_ guy Kakashi-sensei? "And for your other question, I'm not a genin." So he was playing! But then how did he get the hitai-ate if his dad was . . . .

"Where did you get the hitai-ate then if your not genin?" I asked, but he ignored me completely. I felt my eye twitch at his ignorance. Why does he act like he's so much better than us?

"I'm _chunin_," he said coldly, dark grey eyes boring into me. The look was seriously creepy coming from a little kid. I shuddered again, I couldn't see how this guy would change into the person who now shoved green junk into my face and told me to eat it. And wait . . . _chunin_? How had he—? He was _seven!_

A comforting hand rested on my shoulder. "Kaka—Urushi-sensei!" I said, surprised at Kakashi-sensei's sudden appearance.

"Good morning Arashi. Ma, Kakashi, don't you have training?" Kakashi-sensei smiled.

"Training is at 10:00. I usually get there at 9:00. It's currently 8:35, I'll be fine," younger Kakashi said smoothly. What—? Kakashi actually coming, not just _on_ time, but _before_ training.

I glared at him, "Urushi-sensei . . ." I let menace seep into my tone.

"Naruto . . ." Kakashi-sensei sighed after he'd checked his younger self had gone. "I have reasons why I'm late all the time, and no, it's not just because of the road of life," he smiled at my open mouth that was about to spill angry accusations.

"Why didn't you tell us about your father?" I instead asked. Kakashi-sensei should know that he could share anything.

Kakashi-sensei's one eye closed for awhile. "Ma, Naruto . . ." His voice was weary. "There are reasons why I don't tell you about things." With that, he stood on the windowsill precariously. "Get Sakura and go to the training field. I'll meet up with you later." Kakashi gave an eye-smile. "Ja ne."

Before I could complain about him being late again, he disappeared. I lazily put my arms behind my head and walked down the hallway to the room we were staying in. "Sakura!" I yelled loudly.

With a vicious slam, the door was slammed shut and Sakura got out. "Hello Naruto," she smiled innocently, but I got the message: _do not test my patience Naruto_. I nodded swiftly, and we locked up the house and jumped onto the roofs.

I noticed the roofs were different then what they were before. What could've had the power and strength to cause such mass destruction, that so many homes and buildings had to be rebuilt? Then I remembered . . . _the Kyuubi attack. _I gulped. I had technically, killed my own father. The kyuubi was in me, and a part of me. Was I my dad's killer.

"Arashi," Sakura grumbled and pushed me.

"Eh!" I squeaked as I was smashed backwards, and out of my thoughts, from her chakra-enforced flick. "What did I do Sasami?" I yelled, remembering her fake name in a nick of time.

"Keep concentrated!" she yelled again. I nodded quickly to avoid another bruise. Though I had a feeling, on the way to the training grounds, there were many more to come.

* * *

At the training grounds, Sakura hopped gracefully down from the trees, while I more of limped/dragged myself down. I was exhausted, why did Sakura had to be a replica of Tsnuade, rage and all?

Minato—my _father_, smiled nervously at my state, and Sakura, who had obviously caused it.

"Good morning!" She smiled perkily and I felt like growling. Ugh . . . I was _trying_ to make a good first impression on my dad! Not that he knew who I was . . . .

"Erm, hello," Minato grinned hesitantly. "I'm Namikaze Minato, and I'm Kakashi's sensei," he gestured to an irritated Kakashi.

"Yo," Kakashi said grumpily.

"Now, let's introduce ourselves!" I couldn't help but laugh at Kakashi's unenthusiastic expression, compared to Minato's cheerful gaze. "Your likes, dislikes, goals and ambitions!" I felt a wave of deja vu flow through me. That seemed to be exactly what Kakashi-sensei had said on the rooftop when we had met.

"Why don't you go first," Kakashi said in a dead-pan voice.

Minato chuckled and ruffled Kakashi's hair to the said boy's displeasure. I managed a crooked smile—thank Kami Kakashi-sensei didn't do that with us . . . . "Okay!" Minato chirped, and flashed a grin. "I already told you my name, I like eating ramen, I dislike depressive things, and my ambition . . . is to become the Hokage!"_  
_

I felt like crying tears of joy. My dad, was so much like me! Before I could start crying or something, Minato nodded at Kakashi who reluctantly stood up. "I'm Hatake Kakashi. I don't like many things, and dislike a lot. I don't feel like sharing my dreams with you." Well. At least Kakashi-sensei didn't change much.

Minato smiled uncertainty, "Eh . . . ."

I stood up eagerly, "I'm Uzumaki Arashi! I love ramen! I dislike the lines to get ramen, or when the ramen gets cold! My ambition is to become the Hokage!" Who cares if I just changed the past and may-or-may not have killed off tons of people! I wanted to be Hokage and nothing to deter me from it. I sat down, and continued to smile and mini-Kakashi who seemed to be glaring at me.

"Um, where's Urushi-sensei?" I said, realizing that Kakashi-sensei was no where to be found. I quit looking around the clearing, despite the fact we were twenty years in the past, Kakashi-sensei still was going to be late. Hopefully not too late.

"I can't believe I'm related to that lazy bum!" Kakashi snarled. I resisted the urge to laugh. Oh yes, they were _related_ all right.

"Erm, how about you Sasami?" Minato quickly diverged to conversation to avoid a full-on tantrum with Kakashi yelling about how awful his future self was.

"I'm Haruno Sasami. I'm a medic, and I like healing people, I dislike . . . when I can't save them. And my ambition is to become strong enough so I can save a friend," Sakura smiled sadly at the last part. _Sasuke_ . . . ._  
_

"Okay, today, we're going to spar," Minato smiled, ever-so cheerful. "I'll spar with Sasami first, and Arashi, you and Kakashi will spar together. The only rules is that you can't kill each other—all ninjitsu, genjitsu, and taijitsu is allowed!"

Yes! Mini-Kakashi-sensei was going down! Except the fact he was chunin . . . but that couldn't mean much right? He was practically half my age!"Yosh, ready, set—_go_!" Minato announced.

* * *

**Sakura's ****perspective**

I grinned in eagerness.

By the look of Minato's aloof smile, he was not expecting a medic to have very much power or attacks. Well, this would be the last time he underestimated people. Or girls. Or medics. Or anything really.

"_Chaaaa_!" I snarled, gathering my chakra in my fist. One . . . two . . . three! I released the chakra right as my fist hit something hard. It cracked and I felt my anger rise as I realized Minato had dodged. Even though this was Naruto's dad, there was no guarantee that he would escape unscathed! One does not simply insult Sakura Haruno!

Minato appeared behind me and he smiled cheekily. "Well, your good at punching," he offered. I smiled evilly. He could say that again.

Half of the training field was filled with cracks, and in some places, the ground had split open. Saying I was good at punching was an understatement. "Get over here!" I yelled, pouring chakra into my feet, speeding up my running pace.

Minato Namikaze, known as the Yellow Flash. And for good reason too. Every punch destroyed the training ground more, and every punch, he dodged with ease. I'd I have to trick him into the open . . . . Wait. Where was he? I searched around quickly.

Up? Left? Right? Back? If he wasn't there than . . . "He must be down!" I yelled as I focused all my chakra into my punch. In comparison, the previous punches were like gentle strokes. The ground was torn apart, dirt flying in the air and when the dust settled, I saw a thoroughly shocked Minato. Ah, reminded me of Kakashi-sensei.

Where was that lazy-excuse of a sensei anyways?

Right as I was buried in thoughts, Minato leaped forward, kunai in hand. This was my chance! I ducked the kunai, and grabbed his arm. Unable to move, I swept my other arm around in an arc. "_Chaa!_" I cried as my chakra enforced punch made its way to his chest. I made sure not to break any bones, though I was pretty sure Minato had learned his lesson.

After I had set him down he began to recover. "Thanks . . . Sasami," He smiled weakly—did that guy never stop? He was just like Naruto! Well . . . they were father and son. "Your like a mini-Tsunade . . ." he said. I cringed slightly at his words, mini-Tsunade no, but as her student . . . .

"Ah, let's watch Kakashi and Arashi's match," I smiled quickly, distracting Minato before he could connect the dots.

Kakashi and Naruto were still sparring, until I noticed Kakashi step back a bit and start going through seals slow enough for me to recognize them. Ox, hare, horse, monkey, horse—_chidori!_ Why was he using that? I thought Kakashi-sensei said that was a assassination technique!?

Then again, hadn't he also said that he had created it and wasn't sure of its power?

Even so, I _do_ try to make an effort that Naruto doesn't die. I slowly made way to stand up as the blue light covered Kakashi's hands.

"_Chidori!_" he yelled and ran forward, aiming for Naruto.

* * *

**Naruto's perspective**

Unfortunately, despite being seven, mini-Kakashi was good at sparring.

For every kick and punch I threw, he dodged and blocked, also throwing in some of his own attacks. We were caught in a standstill. The only way one of us would win was through chakra exhaustion, or stamina. My body tensed as it braced itself for the heavy blows Kakashi was making. Another punch . . . I dodged. It was slightly amusing that I was going on defense . . . against a seven year-old.

He paused his attacks, and his hands went through the seals for . . . "Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!" (Fire-style: fireball jutsu) Flames burst out of Kakashi's mouth and scorched the grass. I yelped in shock and flipped backward, feeling the heat on my back. How did Kakashi know that technique?!

Fine then! It was time to counter! "Kage bunshin no jutsu!" I yelled, as eighteen other me's ran forward, fists ready. Kakashi seemed shocked at the clones, but soon he ducked under the punches and headed through the crowd, dispersing them with a kunai.

"Where—" Poof. "Are—" Another clone gone. "You—?" Kakashi growled angrily, kunai in both hands.

Not bothering to answer I sent the last remaining four clones sliding at him. "U-zu-ma-ki!" the four clones slide at Kakashi and kicked him up into the air. The silver-haired chunin managed to avoid the main force of the kicks, but was still propelled up. "Naruto Barrage!" I yelled, and kicked him in the stomach.

Winded, Kakashi leap back. He had dirt on his hands, and was sweating, but he had the strength to somehow continue. Placing his hands together he started making hand-seals slowly—he was doing something unfamiliar or new. I stared at the seals he was making: ox . . . hare . . . horse . . . monkey . . . horse . . . .

_Dang it!_ I leap back quickly, but not before the high pitched sound reached my ears. This was bad if he was using _that_ move. Blue light enveloped Kakashi's hand, and he rushed towards me.

"_Chidori!_"


	3. Will Minato find out?

**Ah, naturally, despite this being AU, I will not kill off Naruto as he's very important in the show, so. . . yeah. Enjoy ^_^**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

**Minato's perspective**

My body tensed up as I saw Kakashi rushing towards Arashi with the lightning jutsu. From what I could observe, it was a strong jutsu that could probably to do lethal damage. Kakashi . . . what are you thinking? After a while, I'd realized that Kakashi had shut himself inside, not letting anyone inside. Not me, nor Kushina . . . .

If only I could move and help—I winced as another wave of pain came from my chest area. Ah, no more would I ever underestimate women, though I would've thought I'd learned by now from Kushina . . . .

Faster than I could see, there was a thump and a stranger grabbed onto Kakashi's wrist and threw him into a tree behind him. My breathing hitched as I forced myself to stand up, Kakashi! His back slammed painfully into the bark and then the stranger looked up, and smiled like nothing had happened—it was Urushi.

The grey-haired man eye-smiled nervously. "Ma, sorry about that. I think you'd understand that I have to save my student when an assassination jutsu is being aimed at him."

Assassination jutsu? When did Kakashi learn that? And why would he use it? Sure, he'd been under a lot of stress, but that didn't mean that you could just hurt your comrades! Even more worrisome, It wasn't any move that I'd ever heard of before. _Chidori_. Before I could ask about it, Arashi brushed himself off quickly and ran up to his sensei.

"Arashi-sensei! You're _early_!" Arashi yelled angrily. I felt shock come through. It was almost two hours into the practice and he said that he was _early_.

"What do you mean by early?" I asked hesitantly, unsure if I wanted to know.

"Arashi-sensei is always late," Sasami explained. I suppressed the urge to shudder. I didn't think I'd ever be able to look her in the eye after this. "The latest he's kept up is five hours." Five. Hours? I stared at Urushi in disbelief and in defense, he shrugged.

"Ma, I haven't _always_ been that late Arashi," Urushi said, feigning a hurt tone. I recalled the somewhat shocked expression he had when he'd first seen me. Like, I was a ghost or something. He had seemed to _recognize_ me, yet he claimed to have come by only recently.

"How did you know?" I asked. It took a skilled analyst to notice what a new jutsu's purpose was from just appearance.

"What do you mean?" He asked in reply. I could tell that he was hiding something though. How could he have known that it was an assassination jutsu? No one had ever seen it before? My guess was that it was the jutsu that Kakashi had been working on. I _did_ notice all the chakra burns on his hands when he came back from so called 'training'.

"How did you know it was an assassination jutsu? Have you been watching us?" I accused, voice getting louder every moment.

Urushi smiled weakly, "I have experience." There was a small part of his voice that seemed to be guilt. He was lying.

Yet somehow, I felt that there was a small part of me that wanted to trust him. There was something in him that reminded me of Kakashi. Too much like Kakashi. The mask, the hair, the eyes—well, in Urushi's case, it was eye, but it seemed too much a coincidence that he looked like Kakashi.

I sighed inwardly, whatever it was, I could think over it while eating a bowl of ramen. "Well," I flashed a hopefully-convincing smile. "Let's go eat ramen!"

"Yes!" Arashi cheered, blue eyes shining like I was his new hero. Whatever was going on, I couldn't deny that if I had a kid, Arashi would be what he looked like. The similarities were too much.

"What's going on here," I murmured to myself as we walked to the newly built Ramen Ichiraku. Well, more of Arashi ran ahead, Sasami walked beside me as I dragged Kakashi along, and Urushi hummed in the back as he walked on his own slow pace. My azure eyes narrowed slightly at the relaxed man—something was off about him and his companions. And I just wanted to make sure that it wouldn't hurt Konoha, or Kakashi for the matters.

Most of the reason why I was offering treating—usually I didn't and this time I had a feeling Arashi was going to be the cause of my empty wallet—was because the Hokage ordered I keep surveillance on them, and make sure that they weren't a threat.

Teuchi, the owner, was wearing a white cap with red kanji on it, and he smiled cheerfully. "Hello Minato! Have a large group, eh?"

"Yes . . ." I smiled.

"You're treating them?" He said in shock. Did I really seem so uncharitable? Well, there _was_ that one time . . . .

"Yes . . ." I said, slightly embarrassed at Teuchi's amused expression.

"Ah, well any friends of yours are friends of mine, as such a loyal customer!" He smiled broadly. I could hear Kakashi groaning into his mask.

"Father . . . shouldn't we be _serving_ them?" Amaye, his daughter, said hurriedly. She was currently dressed in a white robe with a dark green apron tied around her waist.

"Yes, yes," Teuchi disappeared to the back of the place, where the kitchen was.

Arashi eagerly sat on a stool, and the rest of us followed suit. One by one, big, steaming bowls of ramen were placed in front of us. "Yosh!" Arashi cheered and faster than I could process, he was slurping down the noodles like water. How he did it without choking, I didn't know. And Kushina

"Well, let's eat," Urushi said, hooking his finger on his mask. For some reason, Arashi and Sasami were looking at him intently. Just as he pulled it down there was a shout from the kitchen. It was Teuchi.

"Old man!" Arashi cried worriedly, and he ran back, with Sasami on his trail. In a blink of the eye, the bowl of ramen was gone, and Urushi was putting his mask back on.

"Ah, sorry for the concern! I just spilled some of the water!" Teuchi said from behind, and Arashi and Sasami walked back out.

"Well, that was good," Urushi smiled cheerfully at his disappointed students. Ah, wasn't I couldn't help but grin. Ah, so they were trying to de-mask their sensei! Well, if he was anything like Kakashi, it would be near impossible, even if you had him tied down, he'd find a way to worm out—um, not that I knew from experience of course . . . . Maybe they weren't a threat, but they were still suspicious.

After that, the only noise was the sound of wooden chopsticks against the bowls and Arashi's yells of, "Another serving!" I looked at the growing pile of empty bowls with awe. My wallet was going to be starving. I felt like groaning as well as being impressed. Its not just anyone who can eat five giant bowls of ramen straight.

After Arashi was making his way onto his seventh bowl, Urushi, to my relief, held out his hand. "No Arashi. That's good."

"Aw—Urushi-sensei! One more bowl—!" Arashi was cut off.

"No." Urushi groaned. "Now do you see why I never treat you?" I would've started laughing if it wasn't my wallet that was currently suffering. Ah, it was so much cuter when it was bulging with money . . . . "Ma, thanks Minato. We'll be going now," Urushi smiled. I still couldn't get over the fact his hitai-ate was covering his eye. Was it covering a scar? But even then, most shinobi covered their eye when they got scars like that . . . .

* * *

**Later that night . . . .**

I landed softly on the windowsill of what Kakashi had said was the room that they were sleeping in.

You could tell a lot about a person from how they slept. Good thing I had taken the brain physiology course while training—even though the main purpose was to figure out why Kushina was always getting annoyed at me . . . .

Making sure I didn't make a sound, I paused outside the window and looked in. My shadow didn't fall into the room, which was good. Also, the wind was coming to me, making it so I could smell them, but they couldn't scent me if one of them was awake and had high enough tracking skills. I scanned their sleeping forms.

Arashi was sprawled out, covers kicked aside, and his giant panda sleeping-hat covering his giant bush of yellow hair. I hoped that wasn't what _I_ looked like when I was sleeping. How unappealing. A bit of drool was making its way down Arashi's mouth. Yep, definitely not the killer-type.

I scanned over to Sasami, who was sleeping peacefully, pink hair spread out in a tangled mess on her pillows. Her breathing was steady, and her position was still. All good. As I moved my gaze to Urushi my eyes widened—he wasn't there. His covers were neatly put together and he was no where to be seen.

"Ma, are you looking for me?" a quiet voice went behind me. My heartbeat picked up. How had he tracked and find me so quietly and efficiently?

"Who are you?" I whispered. "I know you are not who you say you are."

With a resigned composure, he lifted his hitai-ate revealing a clean, straight cut across his lid. It was probably created by a downward slash by a sword. Hesitantly the lid tensed, and opened slowly. As it opened completely, I saw what it was.

Scarlet red iris, three black tomoe surrounding a single black pupil . . . .

The Sharingan.


	4. Suspicion and Team Minato

**If you haven't noticed, I rewrote chapter 1 so it's less dull so hope it's better, I just had no good inspiration on how to start this story up.**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

**Minato's perspective**

I stared in shock at the sharingan, shock clearly etched on my face.

"A-are you an Uchiha?" I asked, several thoughts rushing through my mind.

Little research had been done on the sharingan, and whenever they died, the Uchiha took careful watch to destroy any sharingan from dead comrades so the kekkai genkai could not be found out by enemies. There was no way that, if this man was not an Uchiha, to get a sharingan, much less transplant it. It had been tried a few times—all failures.

The man paused, "No. I _am_ a Hatake."

If he was a Hatake . . . . My eyes widened. That's why it had seemed suspicious. According to the Hokage's files, Sakumo had no brothers. And the Hokage had made sure that Sakumo did not change the files, just in case if they were needed someday. He and Kakashi had been the last of the clan. Who was this man?

"I don't understand," I confessed.

The man smiled. "Don't worry, I mean no harm to Konoha or Kakashi." Then the eye that held the sharingan bulged and my gaze was caught in it. The tomoes spun hypnotically, three black marks spinning in a unison. There was something lulling about the gaze . . . now seemed like a good time for a nap . . . . I yawned sleepily, then I remembered why I was out again with a jolt.

How had I not noticed? I struggled desperately, but his eyes had locked onto mine, blood-red iris staring into blue.

Genjitsu.

* * *

**Kakashi's perspective**

I much as I disliked the prospect of casting genjitsu on my former sensei, it was necessary.

How ironic. The shinobi's life on missions—the sacrificing and duties. It all relied on the fact it was _necessary _to do so. It was _neccessary _to leave your comrades to die on a mission for the sake of success. It was _neccessary _for one person to die for hundreds. to Nothing to do with morals or habits. The mission was all that mattered. Right?

But that was all I had striven in life to avoid wasn't it? Saving my comrades at the cost of mission, disobeying orders for another's life.

I was called 'cold-blooded Kakashi' in ANBU, but I liked to think I was more well-known for the fact I never left anyone behind. No one. Like the one time I had abandoned a mission to collect important documents for the sake of one of my teammates that had gone down in action. Surely I was less cold-blooded than the men who would've abandoned their comrades in a heartbeat if they jeopardized the sake of the mission.

Finally, common sense won out, and I poured chakra through the sharingan, ensnaring Minato. I watched guiltily as his eyes widened in shock as he realized what I was doing. I selected the night's memories and replaced them with something less suspicious, yet believable. Once Minato's eyes had gone glassy and he'd completely blanked out, I laid him down on a bench outside where he'd be safe.

"Good night, Minato-sensei." The words slipped out of my mouth by accident, and luckily, Minato was unconscious.

Or so I thought.

* * *

**Minato's ****perspective**

I woke up on the bench with an awful headache.

I looked up and cursed silently. It was already around 10:00, and I was late for training. As well as today was the day that my team would have two new members—Uchiha Obito and Nohara Rin. I didn't exactly want to have a horrible first impression by coming too late.

But that didn't have anything to do with _why_ was on the bench? I didn't remember going to sleep there, and I recalled talking to Urushi. About what, I didn't know.

_"Good night, Minato-sensei . . . ."_

He'd called me sensei. By the way he'd whispered it, he didn't me to hear it. But why would he call me sensei? Unless, if it was possible, that he was—

"Oi." the dead-pan voice sounded behind me. I turned around quickly, kunai held out. There was Urushi, holding up his hands in surrender. "Whoa . . . ." I relaxed and put away the kunai.

I scanned his face, which was blank. He seemed to have a way to cover his emotions that was akin to Kakashi's. Which meant I could easily see he was nervous and on an edge. He was worried about something.

"Let's go to training, your new students will there right?" He called over his shoulder.

I nodded, "Yeah."

We walked in a comfortable silence, until the training field came into sight. I saw Sasami, Arashi, Kakashi, and a girl standing there. I recognized the girl from the files, she had short, shoulder-length brown hair with purple stripes on her cheeks. Rin Nohara. But where was Obito?

I looked around, "Ah, let's start with introductions." Kakashi stared at me with no enthusiasm.

"Why don't you go first?" he asked. Rin stared at him in awe, maybe at the fact he was talking to me like that.

"Okay!" I grinned cheerfully. "I'm Namikaze Minato. I like ramen, I dislike unfairness among other things. I hope to become Hokage." I nodded at Rin encouragingly.

"Um . . . . I'm Nohara Rin. I like being a medic nin, and I don't dislike many things . . . I hope to become a great medic nin like Tsunade!" she smiled proudly. She had big ambitions, but with her early skills as a medic, it was definitely possible.

"Interesting. Kakashi," I glared at him, daring him to back out.

He sighed, "I Hatake Kakashi. I don't have many likes, many dislikes, I feel like sharing none with you right now. As for my goals and ambitions . . . I have one though I don't feel like telling you about it." I felt Urushi stiffen slightly from beside me. He must've not realized how Kakashi was, even for an uncle. Then I noticed Sasami and Arashi staring at Kakashi with weird looks on their faces, and I had the irrational urge to shield Kakashi from their looks.

"_I'm sorry!" _A boy with bright orange goggles on his face was running towards us. "I had to help an old woman carry groceries!" He was panting, out of breath.

I smiled nervously—what was I getting myself into? "Ah, we've introduced ourselves, why don't you introduce yourself?"

* * *

**Sakura's ****perspective**

I stared in surprise at mini-Kakashi.

Sure, after a while, I'd noticed that Kakashi-sensei was a _very_ changed person from his childhood, but what had caused such a big change? And why was he so cold and stoic?

"I'm Uchiha Obito!" The raven-haired boy announced proudly. "I like ramen, I dislike up-starts, and I going to become the Hokage someday!" He gave a thumbs-up and I felt exasperated. How many people were aiming to become Hokage? First Naruto, then Minato, now this Obito kid! How did Kakashi-sensei stand it?

Minato smiled warmly, "Well! I'm glad someone else shares my ambition! Now, let's do a training exercise!"

My eyes widened in recognition as the two silver spheres danced on a small string. With a gentle jingle they were recaptured into Minato's fist.

"Bells?" Rin asked. I studied her with interest. Kakashi-sensei had never talked about having a medic on his team. Nor had he really talked about his team . . . or his past in general really. I wondered why that was . . . . Well, now we where in his past—there was no hiding it now!

"Your goal is to take the bells from me. If you fail, you return to the academy," Minato smiled, as if this was perfectly normal. "Urushi, can you and your students just watch?" Kakashi-sensei nodded and motioned for Naruto and I to step back.

"But there are only two!?" Obito yelled, as if that wasn't obvious already. Who was this guy kidding? How was he a shinobi? I wondered, wasn't it obvious?

Rin's eyes widened as she realized what it meant, and Kakashi . . . well, he didn't really show any reactions.

"One of us will definitely return to the academy, idiot," Kakashi said coldly. I cringed, imagining those words coming out of our aloof sensei.

"Oi! I-I'm not a idiot!" Obito yelled defiantly.

"Yosh," Minato leaped back. "We're starting in three . . . ."

Rin, Obito, and Kakashi braced themselves.

"Two . . . ."

Obito got out a kunai and held it firmly in his hand. Kakashi rested his hand on the short tanto on his back. Rin had a hand in her weapons pouch, ready to draw shurriken.

"Three! _Start_!"

The three disappeared.


	5. Bell test continue!

**Thank you guys for the favoriting and following the story! It's very encouraging to find people like my stories! ^_^**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

**Minato's perspective**

I looked around warily.

From what I'd noticed, Rin and Obito would be no match, but Kakashi was the one I had to watch out for . . . .

Rin and Obito were coming at my sides, kicking and punching. They were easy to dodge, which only made Obito more frustrated. He leaped back and made different hand seals: boar, horse, and tiger. I jumped back before I was fried. "_Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu_!" Obito yelled, blowing out a huge fireball. The move was common among Uchihas, though that didn't make it any less dangerous.

Just as I landed, Rin and Obito continued their assault, though I noticed Kakashi was holding back. He was analyzing my skills. I smiled to myself, clever.

My body fell into the habit of dodging Rin's thrown shurriken and punches, while jumping Obito's kicks and occasional all-out punching. Neither of them landed a hit at all. Finally, just as I felt relaxed, Kakashi sprang forward and I tensed up all over again. Two genin I could manage with ease. Two genin and a chunin who happened to be a prodigy? If I concentrated, yes.

Kakashi got up close and I blocked his punches and dodged his kicks, but two times he'd come close to hitting me. Impressive—not that I'd let him land a hit—I _did_ have a certain amount of pride to redeem. Finally, as he got worn down a bit, Kakashi pushed more energy into his attacks and his attacks became more rapid. Finally he ducked under my blocks and kicked up. Distracting me slightly with it, his fingertips brushed against the bells, then in alarm I kicked back on the ground, and landed a few feet back.

I smiled wryly. The bell test was made as a teamwork exercise, but could be used as how I was—to measure the team's skills. The bell test was to be hosted by a jounin. In other words, the genin, or chunin in Kakashi's case, were never meant to get the bell. It would be interesting if Kakashi managed to get a bell.

* * *

**Naruto's perspective**

I watched, enraptured, by the bell test.

Not only was I watching the Yodamine, my dad, but I also was seeing Kakashi-sensei! I looked in awe as mini-Kakashi touched the bells—he nearly got the bells! No matter how arrogant mini-Kakashi-sensei was, he was impressive! So this was what it meant to be a shinobi prodigy . . . genin at five, chunin at seven!

After Minato had escaped and placed distance between him and Kakashi, Rin and Obito moved in again. Their taijitsu however, was no match for Minato who was a jounin renowned as Konoha's Yellow Flash—in other words, he was _fast_.

I smiled nostalgically at the thought of Sakura, Sasuke, and my first bell test. How I'd rushed ahead and Kakashi-sensei had done the thousand years of pain—okay, that part had been painful, but it had been hilarious how he'd pinned Sasuke under him and how I'd fallen for the traps he'd set. I stiffed a laugh as I saw Obito go sliding underneath Minato from a mistimed kick.

I noticed how Kakashi-sensei seemed to be staring at Obito and Rin for basically the whole time with a look of . . . longing in his eyes. Maybe he missed his teammates?

I paused in thought, now that I thought about it, I never saw Kakashi-sensei's teammates around, though Obito wouldn't be around since all the Uchiha's were supposed to be gone. But someone like Rin, with purple stripes on her cheeks and a perosnality that seemed to be so cheerful for a kid raised in the time of war, surely she'd be pretty memorable person. I'd remember if I met anyone like her.

"Oi, Urushi-sensei," I forced the name out instead of saying 'Kakashi-sensei'. The name was so foreign. "Where are your teammates in the present?"

Kakashi-sensei stiffened and I hoped I hadn't said anything too horrible. "Dead." He said softly, hiding the grief behind the single word with a dead sounding tone. I winced mentally, I shouldn't have mentioned them. Then I eyed Kakashi-sensei's covered sharingan and my guilt was exchanged for a rekindled curiosity. Where _did_ he get it? He didn't really seem like the sort of guy who'd kill an Uchiha just for an eye, so it must've been given . . . .

It made me realize how little I knew about Kakashi-sensei.

* * *

**Sakura's ****perspective**

My eyes widened in awe as Kakashi almost grasped the bell, then Minato jumped backwards.

Such quick reflexes! None of the other jounin at Konoha, present time, were as fast as Minato. No wonder he was famous, I mused. Suddenly, Naruto and Kakashi-sensei's conversation.

"Urushi-sensei. Where are your teammates in the present?" Naruto asked bluntly.

I winced, and recalled the first time we'd seen the memorial stone.

_"This stone is important," Kakashi-sensei explained._

_"What are all those names?" Naruto asked, squinting to read some of the names._

_Kakashi-sensei sighed, "They're . . . heroes . . . ." His voice trailed off. "It's the KIA stone."_

_Naruto got a big grin on his face. "Ah! I like where this is going! When can I get my name on there?"_

_Kakashi-sensei seemed slightly annoyed at his reaction. "KIA—killed in action."_

_Naruto stopped in his gleeful rant and looked at Kakashi-sensei with a much more sober expression. "Oh . . . ."_

_Kakashi-sensei stared at the stone wistfully, "A lot of my friends are on this stone. They died as heroes."_

"Dead." Kakashi-sensei said stiffly. I felt like giving Naruto a smack on the head—how was he so blunt when the topic meant so much to him? Luckily, Naruto seemed to have understood the seriousness of what he had said, and his interest faded.

I stared at Obito and Rin, and couldn't help but wonder in what way had their names gotten on the memorial stone? What mission? And what had caused Kakashi-sensei to be the only survivor? Or had it been separate missions? Minato had been killed from saving Konoha from the Kyuubi as the Yodamine, I glanced at Naruto.

He seemed to be coping well with seeing the father whom he'd never met before. But he was probably in a jumble of emotions—I would be if I met my father after he was dead for almost all my life. After I heard Minato speak, I dragged my thoughts to the back of my mind as I watched the training field.

"Ah, you guys didn't get the bells. You fail." Minato said solemnly, and his words were greeted by the cries of protest by Obito and Rin. I glanced at Kakashi, and his face was blank as ever, not a hint of warmth. Minato smiled once more, "I'll give you guys one more chance to get the bells."

My eyes widened slightly, it was just like what Kakashi-sensei had done to try test our teamwork, yet without the threat of no lunch. I watched them intently, eager to see what would happen.

* * *

**Normal perspective**

Just like the time before, Rin and Obito attacked Minato with no effect really, with him dodging and blocking the kicks and punches with ease. But, unlike before, Kakashi ran forward as well, causing Minato to be forced to put more effort into his defense.

Kick, punch, dodge, punch, block, kick, jump. In an seemingly endless dance, the foursome continued with their attacks and defense.

On the sidelines, Sasami and Arashi watched, entranced by the battle. In the tree, the older Kakashi sat bored, watching with mild interest. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, though it was unnoticed by the chunin, two genin, and jounin as they were too absorbed in their training.

The younger Kakashi seemed to have reached a conclusion about their battle, and looked at his exhausted teammates. Obito was panting, slumped on the ground in the defeat. Rin was crouched, breathing heavy as sweat trickled down her face. "Rin, Obito." Kakashi called, and they raised their heads slightly in acknowledgement.

Minato looked in shock that it would be Kakashi out of all people, calling together his teammates.

"Guys, the first formation we learned in the academy," Kakashi ordered.

Rin got up and stretched her weary arms. "I don't know if it'll work on a jounin like sensei . . . ."

"Come on," Kakashi said.

"Yosh! Let's do it!" Obito gave a grudging thumbs-up. Arashi and Sakura leaned forward in interest, and older-Kakashi managed to look up from his ever-important orange book.

Slowly, but quickly gaining speed, the trio ran in a circle around Minato, causing him to have to turn around to avoid getting unsuspectingly attacked by one side. As the formation progressed, they started jumping over Minato while closing in on him as well. They randomly attacked every once in a while to put in him on an edge. Finally, as his patience waned, younger-Kakashi made a move.

As Obito and Rin attacked, Kakashi also came forward. The three pounced as one, yet they still weren't able to beat Minato in taijitsu skills. While Obito and Rin distracted Minato, Kakashi ducked underneath. Minato finally pushed them all back, where they sat on the ground out of sheer exhaustion.

Minato smiled warmly at his students and the silver bell jingled on his vest as another breeze blew it to the side. A small bit of admiration shined in his eyes as he looked at the silver-haired chunin. The bell's music was still beautiful, but this time there was something different.

It was alone, its metallic song softened with only one to make it.

Kakashi was crouched, breathing deeply, but he felt a warm feeling of satisfaction in his gut. He looked down at his grime-smudged hand and opened it wearily.

A small bell lay in his palm, a trophy of his success.

* * *

**The bell test is slightly different than it was in the anime, though I hope you enjoyed it.**


	6. Help

**I intend to make this quite a long fanfiction, stretching to when Kakashi joins ANBU, though I won't add Kyuubi attack (too complex). I am considering writing this as well as maybe starting another fanfiction which will mean less frequent updates than I usually have for only one fanfiction.**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

**Kakashi's perspective**

**[Walking around outside Hatake compound; after bell test]**

I smiled nostalgically.

The bell test had brought out old memories, good and bad. I stared at Naruto and Sakura who were walking in front of me. They were so like the old team seven, I mused.

Naruto was akin to Obito, except for Naruto having yellow hair and Obito sporting goggles. Though, if memory served, Naruto used to wear goggles as well . . . . And Rin was really coming out of Sakura, ever since she'd become Tsunade's pupil. Ignoring the fact that Rin was as gentle as Sakura was violent. Well, nobody was perfectly the same.

"Oi, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto drawled, pulling his hands into his trade-mark relaxing position.

"Mmm?" I said, examining the Hatake compound. It'd been so long since I'd been here . . . .

"Why don't you live here anymore? It's nice and big, yet your living in that apartment," He explained.

I shrugged, "Ma, I don't know." I was not admitting every time I slept here I kept getting dreams of my father's suicide, or how Obito had sacrificed himself for me on the Kannabi Bridge mission, or when I'd killed Rin . . . .

"Kakashi-sensei, why don't you ever talk about your past?" Sakura asked, her Rin-side coming out. Her caring, concerned side that reminded me so much of my old comrade it hurt.

I looked up at the sky. "I have . . . reasons."

"You said that last time sensei! Why?" Naruto demanded.

I had the sudden urge to visit the memorial stone. "Ah, ja ne." I bunched up my leg muscles, and before Naruto could protest, I was gone.

Why was I running from the past still? Why did it continue haunting me? Shinobi must not cry, I smiled bitterly, as the warm water trickled out of my one eye. Obito . . . Rin . . . Minato-sensei . . . . When I'd been forced to do therapy after ten years of ANBU—which hadn't been all bad—the woman had never gone over how I'd react if my long-dead teammates were to suddenly pop up alive.

Was I cracking under the stress? Maybe. Or had I already reached the edge of insanty? Definitely.

* * *

**Naruto's perspective**

"Kakashi-sensei . . ." My voice trailed off as he disappeared. "Why . . . why is he running?" I asked sadly.

"Naruto . . . ever heard of 'mental trauma'?" Sakura asked. From the way she talked about it, I assumed it was bad.

I shrugged, "No."

Sakura sighed, "It's when a shinobi has something deeply and emotionally traumatic event in their lives that scars them forever."

Scars them forever. "You think Kakashi-sensei has that?"

"Well, _something_ made him into the man he is today, and I'm sure you've noticed he isn't exactly the same guy twenty years ago," Sakura's face took on an concerned look. "I want to help him."

I immediately agreed. "But, how?" It seemed impossible, between the coldness of Kakashi-sensei's younger self, and his current awkwardness about it, it seemed like a daunting task. I was pretty sure none of them would take well to being asked about their past.

"We should see what happened," Sakura started. "Except, we're the only ones here from the future and Kakashi-sensei isn't going to help anytime soon."

"Should we just wait and see?" I considered.

She shrugged, "That seems like all we can do." She got a disappointed expression on her face and she punched the ground angrily. "_Cha!" _She yelled as a rock crumbled into small chunks. She looked apologetically at me, "Sorry, I just . . . don't like not being able to do anything."

I smiled cockily, soon though, we _would_ help Kakashi-sensei.

* * *

**Sakura's perspective**

I walked into the house, and all was quiet.

Maybe Kakashi was out training. He was often doing that I'd noticed. He seemed to be absorbed with training, and when a younger Gai-sensei—which had been thoroughly disturbing—had invited him for sweet dumplings, Kakashi had given him the cold shoulder and promptly ignored him.

Ether way, Naruto was correct, we had to do _something_ about this.

I heard a thump from the room upstairs. It was in the direction of the study. I started on the stairs, but on the third I remembered Kakashi-sensei had said specifically to stay out of it. But why? It surly couldn't be that bad, right?

Nervous, but sure, I walked up the rest of the stairs and looked at the study. I walked quietly, with all the stealth I could muster, down the hall to the study. What would be in it? What would I find?

A small breath came from inside. Then it continued, faster and faster, until it was a hiccuping mess. _Crying_. Was Kakashi . . . crying?

I got outside the doorway and peeked inside and my eyes widened in shock and horror.

The wood floor was dirty and coated with dust form misuse, but it was evident. The scarlet stain that was once dark seeping liquid. The life-blood. Someone had died in here. I looked to the side, and saw Kakashi kneeled on the ground by the red stain. Silvery tears poured down his face, eyes red-rimmed. His mask had a dark stain that was spreading form the absorbed tears.

Just as I was moving away, he whipped around, droplets shining in the air as they were flung from his face. He had a kunai at the ready, and he glanced around, though it would've been intimidating had I not seen him crying moments before. "Where are you."

I was shocked he could detect me. "I repeat, where are you. You've been watching me for a while." Again, a bit insulting to my skills that a seven year old could detect my presence.

I opened the doorway and he narrowed his eyes. "Kakashi." It took my will to not add 'sensei' to the end of my words. "Why are you crying? Are you sad about your dad—?"

I was cut through by his cold response. "I have no father of noteworthiness. He died because of dishonor, I will make sure not to make the same mistake." I felt like laughing dryly—what happened to 'those who disobey the rules are scum, but those who abandon their friends are worse then scum'?

Worried of his answer, I asked another question. "What is teamwork to you?"

He sneered, "Teamwork. It's stupid, it only holds up the mission." I shivered.

"Teamwork is essential for the mission!" I found myself arguing with Kakashi. Kakashi-sensei's lessons had been so deeply embedded in my life, it seemed to be a part of me.

"You are a fool then. You will only get killed," Kakashi snarled, dark grey eyes flaring.

I stepped forward, "Then I will die along with my comrades." Just as I was about to leave, I turned around again. "Also, what was that ambition you talked about before?"

"What one? Oh," He paused. "That one. Why should I tell you?"

I had inhumane strenght—might as well use it. "I beat up Minato-sensei. Don't you think that's note-worthy?" He could hear the threat in my voice.

"Fine, fine. My ambition . . . ."

He glared at me in a sort of final way, "I will restore honor to the Hatake clan." He stormed past me into the hallway and I could hear the thumps as he walked down the stairs, one by one.


	7. Getting closer

**In the present time, it is about after Naruto and Sakura return (so the begining of Shippuden), and they've taken the bell test. Akatsuki and Pein have not yet invaded.**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

**Kakashi's perspective**

I stared at the black stone that was in front of me.

It gave me some sort of glee, in a way, to see how little names were on there, compared to after the third shinobi war or after the Kyuubi attack. No Obito, or Rin, or Minato. There were only a few names now, and it lightened my heart.

A figure landed beside me, "Good morning Urushi, isn't it a bit early to be here?" Minato asked.

I smiled behind my mask. If he thought _this_ was early, he should've seen me in the future. I'd wake up at exactly 4:00 each morning and go to the memorial stone and just stand there. Remembering him, Rin, and Obito and what could've been. Asuma and Gai had told me one time, to get my head out of the clouds, out of the past and concentrate on now. But I couldn't let it go.

"I'm good," I said calmly. Hopefully the genjitsu I'd cast on him didn't wear away.

Minato shrugged, "Why do you come here? Every morning Kakashi says you go out and I assume you come here."

I sighed. I needed to be more discreet while leaving . . . . "To remember the dead."

"Sometimes thinking about the past is bad for you. We should concentrate on the future," Minato stated. I eye-smiled at him, though I didn't share what I was thinking. This was why Minato was a good Hokage, he looked at the future, tried to protect everyone. I wouldn't be very good, I'd be too busy regretting—just like I was now.

"What if the past if haunting you?" I asked. I glanced at him, it still seemed so unreal how after dreaming about him and my old team for so long, with all my regrets and guilt, here they were, alive and well. The last time I had seen Minato was when he was cold and lifeless, having sealed the Kyuubi in himself.

Minato shrugged, "Being a shinobi is tough."

I smiled at that. "Yes, yes it is."

"Is this where you always are?" He asked, kneeling down to read the names on the stone better.

"Mmm?"

"When your hours late—do you just stand here?" Minato repeated.

I shrugged indifferently, "Yeah."

"Whatever happened, don't be so hard on yourself. I'm sure you'll forget about it someday," Minato smiled. I stared at his retreating back as he walked away. If only I could.

* * *

**Minato's perspective**

I stared at Urushi, and I noticed how he was looking at me strangely.

There were many things that were off about the visitors, but Urushi had a familiar feeling to him. Like I knew him well.

But I doubted I'd been anyone like him before. Underneath his aloof facade, he was a man who seemed to have a darkness of sorts. Even Kakashi, after finding his father dead, never became like this man. There was another thing as well, when I'd comforted him, unlike most, he didn't seem affected at all. He still had the gloomy aura around him.

For some reason, I found myself being concerned for him. He seemed too lost—coming to the K.I.A stone every day was definitely not the best for one's health.

"Well, I must go . . ." I apologized. In acknowledgement he dipped his head, but other than that, he remained still, gaze fixated on the stone. I tensed my legs and jumped in the trees. When I looked back, he was in the same exact position. What a strange man.

_"Good night, Minato-sensei_."

The words had been haunting me, ever since he'd said them. Not the fact he'd called me sensei, but the guilt and sadness behind the words. There seemed to be a lifetime of sorrow behind the four words. So much regret. So much darkness.

"Minato!" A perky voice sounded from above me. I looked up and saw a woman with fiery red hair and bright blue eyes. She smiled, "How are you?"

"Kushina!?" I gasped. I didn't realize—wait! Why was she in _my_ house? "Wait—what are you doing here?"

She pouted, "Aw, Minato why you gotta be such a party-pooper?"

I shrugged and let myself in. "It _is_ my house you know."_  
_

"Where were you? I came to chat but you were in, ya know," She said airily.

"I was at the K.I.A stone," I replied.

She frowned, "That isn't very characteristic—why were you there?"

"You know Urushi?" I asked.

She nodded, "Tall, gray haired, masked, and has his hitai-ate tilted for some reason?"

"Yeah. Somethings off about him," I said, letting some concern pour into my voice.

She shrugged, "I wouldn't worry about it. A shinobi's secrets are their own. You don't become a shinobi without em."

"I know . . . it's just that there's something . . . ." My voice trailed off. We walked into the living room and I poured some tea into two cups.

Kushina sipped some, "Like what?"

Uncertainty stormed through my mind. _Should_ I tell Kushina about my suspicions? "Well, you know how he's Kakashi's uncle?"

"Yeah, yeah. Where's this going?" She grumbled. Her message was clear: _pick up the pace kid_._  
_

"He called me 'Minato-sensei'," I confessed. "That one night where I was late, I only remember that." It was unusual how I could remember nothing of it. Sure I could have bad memory, but never had I ever forgotten a whole night, especially if it had been the following morning. It was strange and suspicious.

"You should go over to Inoichi, get him to look at your head," Kushina recommended, warming her hands around the cup of tea.

"You're not suggesting I'm mental right?" I asked teasingly.

She shrugged innocently, "No."

I sighed, "All right I'll go."

Kushina nodded slowly, "When?"

"Now," I said. Might as well get it over with. Also it'd be good to put my mind to rest. If Inoichi couldn't tell what was wrong after using his Clan's famous mind techniques, I didn't know what would.

I stood up and put on my flak jacket, "Well, see you later," I smiled.

Kushina smiled, "See ya!" I nodded reassuringly.

* * *

**Later at the Yamanaka Clan . . . .**

"You want to see Inoichi?" The woman asked calmly.

I nodded, "Yes, tell him Namikaze Minato wants to see him." As old time friends, Inochi should be fine with seeing me.

"Okay . . . . Inoichi!" She yelled into the hallway.

A tall man with a dirty-blonde hair tied into a long ponytail walked in. He had bright green eyes and rugged jawline. His serious face broke into a smile when he saw me, "Minato!"

I smiled cheerfully, hoping I didn't look too awkward. He evidently picked up on this, "Want to come to my house?" He invited.

I nodded in relief, "Sure." We walked through the houses that made up the Yamanaka Clan compound. Finally we reached a large building and we walked up the stairs and Inoichi opened the door and invited me in.

Once we were seated at the couch, he looked towards me, welcoming yet confused. "What can I do for you, Minato?"

Feeling slightly embarrassed, I smiled sheepishly, "Um, I'd like you to have a look in my head. At a certain time—night, early morning maybe, about three days ago. Something happened that I can't remember."

He nodded, absorbing the information. "Very well. What _do_ you remember? What would you like me to look for?"

Certainty lining my words, I spoke. "All things concerning Urushi. Somethings up and I wish to know."

Inoichi's face turned serious, "Alright." He stood up and held out his hand. "Just relax . . . ."

Darkness swam through my vision as he placed his palm on my head, entering my mind. I felt a friendly presence slowly sinking through my subconscious, Inoichi's mind. I lowered my barriers and let him in.

Forcefully making him barge through the barriers could cause mental damage to me, and would waste much chakra on his part. I doubted either of us wanted that. I felt my body relax as I concentrated on the mental aspect of myself. I tracked Inoichi's progress and made my mind bump him gently into the direction of the memory I'd talked about.

Slowly as he entered the memory, I faded into darkness and I succumbed to the shadows of sleep to let Inoichi do his work.

* * *

Someone was shaking my shoulder, urgent and quickly.

Can't I sleep longer? the lazy part of me whined mentally.

Unwillingly, I opened my eyes blearily, and saw Inoichi was staring at me intently, emerald green eyes sparkling nervously. "Minato. There's something wrong about your memory."

That instantly jolted me to full wakefulness. "What?" I couldn't keep the worry out of my voice—it was _my_ head he was talking about! What could have happened? What could've gone wrong? He took a deep breath, and my anxiety only doubled. He opened his eyes again, and solemnly he spoke.

"The memory was distorted and weird." Then there was no doubt. But why would've Urushi? And _who_ was Urushi anyways?

"Is it?" I asked for clarification, hoping desperately I was wrong.

"Yes. Genjitsu."

* * *

**Minato is on the present-time team 7's tracks! Wow that was fun to write!**


	8. Truth

**Chapter 8**

**Minato's perspective**

My footsteps pounded on the ground as I ran towards the Hatake compound.

Who knew how much time I had? Whoever the three visitors were, I wouldn't let them harm Konoha in any way. Unfortunately, from what I'd observed, they were incredibly strong, and were naturals with Konoha-originated techniques and styles.

Inoichi had said that he couldn't tell what the memory from the night was about, except one thing—the genjitsu had been cast by a sharingan.

This left several options, either the man, Urushi, was an unknown rouge Uchiha, or he'd somehow managed to take a sharingan from an dead Uchiha. I knew as a fact, the Uchiha would probably never give up their sharingan willingly to a non-Uchiha though inter-clan transplants had happened a few times over the years.

Before I realized it, I was in front of the Hatake compound. I took a deep breath and put my hand on the handle of the door then hesitated. What would I find? Would they still be waiting around unsuspectingly, or would they have attacked? I knew Kakashi wouldn't be able to stand against the three, especially Sasami. I shuddered at remembrance of the non-fading bruise now on my chest has a mark of my failure.

I tightened my grip on the handle as I remembered the night of Sakumo's death.

_I was heading out the door of the Hokage office when Hiruzen called back. "Could you go and check up on Kakashi as well on your way home?"_

_I nodded, "Of course, Hokage-sama." I bowed as I walked out._

_As the Hatake compound, I knew something was wrong instantly. Then, when I was a few feet from the front door, the wave of vile scent hit me. Musty and metallic—blood. And lots of it by the way the smell lingered around the house, like a dark gloomy aura._

_Hesitantly I put my hand to the door, hoping for the best, I opened the door. I walked in, following my nose to the highest concentration of the blood smell. Sakumo's office. Worry clenched my chest. After the mission, Sakumo had just been dropping deeper and deeper into depression, weighted down by the disgust and attitudes of the whole of the Konoha._

_I pounded up the stairs and when I looked in I saw two bodies on the ground, surrounded by a lake of blood. Sakumo, cold and lifeless, was clutching a short dagger in his fist, which was sunk down to the hilt into his gut. Seppuku. I checked the other, smaller body. It was Kakashi._

_He seemed just as dead as Sakumo until I felt a traced of warmth emitting from his body. Then I realized the wet coating on his body was blood. He was covered with Sakumo's blood. I shuddered, and carried him away. He must've been by his father for hours before I'd found him. _

_I took him to my house and clean him out, scrubbing off the blood that was caked on him. I left him and ran urgently to the Hokage's office. He seemed to know the situation from the blood that was speckled on my jounin vest and my frantic expression. _

_Sakumo had done seppuku, and Kakashi had found him._

I shook myself out of the memory, and unlocked the door. This time, there would not be causalities.

I walked towards the room that Kakashi had given to Urushi, Sasami, and Arashi. I peered inside, and none of them were inside. I exhaled slightly and felt slight guilt in chest for what I was going to do. I kneeled by the smallest pack—Urushi's probably, and opened it.

* * *

Shock was shaking through my being.

How many _Icha Icha _books did this guy have?! Jiraya would be happy to have such a loyal reader, but honestly, why would he put all of that in his bag!?

Other than that, there were two bells in his bag, extra shuriken and kunai, wire, and some food pills. Why the two bells? I shook them gently and the familiar jingle sounded softly in the room. I smiled nostalgically at the bell test I'd done with Kakashi, Rin, and Obito a few days ago. It had been impressive that Kakashi had gotten a bell.

I recalled Urushi's face. He must hide the sharingan under his hitai-ate. How would I get him to reveal it?

A soft thump sounded behind me, and I turned around. Urushi. How did he keep sneaking up on me? It was like he knew what to expect of me.

"Hello Minato, what are you doing here looking through my bag?" He asked. I realized with embarrassment I still had the bells in my hand. I put it back quickly.

"I'm sorry, but," I quickly made up my mind. "I need to check you are not a enemy of Konoha."

"Why would I be?" He shrugged.

"Why would you cast genjitsu on me then?" I argued, anger rising.

He looked away,"Reasons." My eyes narrowed. That guy seemed to have many reasons, but not many answers.

"Tell me." I glared at him directly in the eye, and I saw his eye flicker with . . . guilt? "Fine. Then tell me how you got the sharingan."

His eye widened in shock, then went back to its lazy default mode. "You found out?" He seemed to be more talking to himself. "Ma, well. I got it from a friend . . . ." His voice trailed off with a certain sadness that seemed to genuine to be fake.

"How did you transplant it? There's been no record of an Uchiha doing so before," I said. If he had transplanted the sharingan and it had been successful, then it would be valuable for Konoha.

"There is no record of an Uchiha doing so _yet," _He said calmly, emphasizing on the 'yet'. Was he really suggesting . . . ?

"Are you suggesting you are from the future?" I asked hesitantly.

He sighed in defeat.

"Maybe." My eyes widened at his response.

"How is that possible?" I demanded.

He held up his hands, "I don't know."

Instead of arguing more, I decided to question other things that had been on my mind, considering that he seemed to be in a truthful mood right now. "Why did you call me 'Minato-sensei'?"

He eye-smiled, "Isn't it obvious Minato-_sensei_?" The pieces clicked together in my mind. Grey hair, mask, the chakra control, the familiar feeling from before.

"So, you're Kakashi?" I asked in disbelief, staring at the man. Maybe he resembled Kakashi in ways with the mask, but how did he get so . . . cheerful? The last time I recalled Kakashi was glaring at his supposed future self venomously due to his late habits.

"Yeah."

Suddenly reality hit me, and I realized I'd been probably too unsuspecting. Shinobi were trained liars, I would be a fool to just believe everything that came out of his mouth. "Prove to me that you are."

He smiled, "Ma, that's _easy_. You know how I could tell what my younger self did was an assassination technique?" I nodded slowly. "I know because I created it." He lifted his hitai-ate revealing a scarred lid, and he opened it. A red iris stared at me, black tomoe

He went through the same seals as Kakashi had, though much faster. Lightning chakra concentrated into his hand, sending dark blue and icy white tendrils flashing around his hand. "_Chidori_."

My brow furrowed,"You sound like you've used it before for that purpose." Assassination jutsu.

His eyes darkened, "I have."

He let the _chidori_ fade away, leaving a slightly burning smell lingering in the air.

"Haven't you already changed the past though? By coming here?" I asked. By telling me who he was, Kakashi was changing the past.

"I don't know what the effect will be really. Maybe I won't end up with this," He tapped the hitai-ate, which was now covering the sharingan. "Or, something else more drastic might happen . . . ." He seemed to be thinking about events that had happened in his time.

I smiled secretly in my head. Whatever had happened, Kakashi from the future seemed like a nice man.

* * *

**Kakashi's perspective**

I felt worry course through me.

_What_ had I done? I'd felt too comfortable around Minato and I'd given away my identity.

I'd been too sloppy while doing the genjitsu_—_it'd been traced back to the sharingan. The past had to stay the same as much as possible or the future could end horrible. What if the Kyuubi had ended up destroying Konoha? Or the Uchiha's successfully did a coup d' etat? ___  
_

The selfish part of me was currently wondering if Minato liked me. Was he proud of what I'd become? Or was he just disappointed? Fortunately he didn't ask anything about what Rin and Obito were like in the future. I didn't look forward to tell them that they were dead.

One from saving me.

One at my hand.


	9. Telling the team

**I did _not_ expect this to have so many 'favorite's and 'follow's! Thank you guys for doing so! **

* * *

**Chapter 9**

**(Younger) Kakashi's perspective**

I was at the training field, punching and kicking the dummy that was tied to the stake.

My gaze narrowed as my concentration was absorbed into training. I kicked and punched the straw dummy until straws fell out and fluttered down onto the ground. I heard footsteps coming up, I refused to turn around, and continued my relentless assault on the dummy. "Hello . . . Kakashi," a shy voice said. Rin.

The only sign of acknowledgement from me was a grunt as I continued training. She continued to just stand, waiting patiently. Why didn't she start training? One had to be prepared in life, which meant you couldn't waste time just lazing around.

"Good morning guys," A cheerful voice sounded. Minato-sensei. He was smiling cheerfully, though he seemed distracted from something.

"Minato-sensei. What's wrong?" I asked. Usually I wouldn't bother, but it seemed like more than his usual romance troubles.

His eyebrows furrowed, "We should wait for Obito."

I stiffened, putting more energy into my attacks. "Who cares about that idiot? Tell us," I demanded.

I felt Minato-sensei's disapproving gaze on me. "Kakashi." He gave a warning tone, "Obito is your teammate. Anyways, we need to wait for Arashi, Sasami, and Urushi." There was a slight hitch in his voice at Urushi's name, like it was a fake cover. I narrowed my eyes. I'd noticed something was off about them.

They used their names like they were foreign and Urushi seemed to recognize my team despite the fact we'd never met before. Minato-sensei had also seemed weird the day he'd come to practice with Urushi—well, weirder than normal at least.

"Morning!" Arashi yelled as he ran forward. I glared at him, how was he a successful shinobi? He laughed around, was never serious, and was just like Obito. At _least_ he came on time. My gaze switched to Sasami who was walking leisurely behind Arashi. She was too much like Tsunade, inhumane strength—it was a method mostly only known by Tsunade, so how did she know it? Also her medical abilities seemed to, if possible, surpass Tsnuade's skills.

After a half an hour, Obito came, panting. "Sorry! There was a black cat in the way, so I had to take another detour—"

"Shut up loser," I snarled. It was such an obvious lie! How did Minato-sensei stand it?

Minato got between us, before Obito could start whining like a baby. I saw his eyes water up slightly at my insult. "I-I'm not a loser!" He protested.

I saw the shining tears in his eyes and felt disgust curl inside of me. "Shinobi rule number four: a shinobi must never cry," I recited. I ignored the disbelieving stares I got from Arashi and Sasami. Maybe they were good shinobi, but they weren't completely dedicated.

"Be quiet!" Obito yelled angrily, lifting his goggles and rubbing his eyes furiously. "I-I got dirt in my eyes!"

I rolled my eyes, "You have goggles on."

"S-so!" His voice quivered. Pathetic.

"You're a pathetic excuse of a shino—" Someone interrupted my speech. I felt angry until I saw who it was. Urushi. My supposed Uncle. How was he so . . . lazy? He was a Hatake disgrace, must've been a black sheep, I mused.

"Ma, good morning guys!" He smiled cheerfully. I felt like smacking the smile off his face. How was he so _positive_ and _cheerful_?

"Ah, Urushi is here so we can talk about what's happened," Minato-sensei smiled. He looked at Urushi expectantly.

He sighed, and stared at me. "I am not Urushi."

I glared at him menacingly. Then who could he be? A series of possibilities rushed through my mind. Was he a enemy shinobi? No, Minato-sensei would be beating him up by now if he was. A secret spy? No, he wouldn't be revealing himself then. Then _who_?

"I am Hatake Kakashi."

Kami no.

* * *

**(Older) Kakashi's perspective**

I smiled nervously at my younger self. He was staring at me with a deadpanned stare.

"That's not possible!" Obito burst out, pointing from mini-me to me. "He's too annoying! And you're too . . ." He searched for the words as he stared at me disbelievingly. I eye-smiled, was it really that unrealistic?

Kakashi stared at me in horror, "That's ridiculous. I'd never be like him—so idiotic and lazy." I felt partially annoyed that I was being insulted by myself and felt like laughing, was I really such a brat when I was young? Poor Minato. Poor Rin. Poor Obito. Poor everyone who came in contact with my past self.

"Well, it's true," Minato smiled, ruffling Kakashi's hair. He squirmed irritated, out of his grasp. Minato's expression turned serious, "These three are from the future and we're trying to make sure that we don't change the future too much."

Rin looked at me nervously and I recalled a certain fact. Wasn't she in love with me or something? I shrugged mentally, well, I probably shouldn't mention that she was dead. "Um . . . Kakashi?" She asked me.

I nodded, "Mmh?"

"Why are you so . . . different?" She asked hesitantly. I could practically feel Sakura and Naruto's stares on me. Maybe I wouldn't answer them, but they might suspect I'd answer her.

I closed my one eye and thought of an excuse. When none came I resolved with going with truth. "I have been through many things." Okay, more of a half-truth but a truth!

"B-but, we're there to help you along right?" She pressed on nervously. I felt like laughing and crying at the same time. If only they had been with me, it would've made life easier. Finally I sealed my emotions inside to avoid shouting out in grief.

I stared at her with a cold, dead look. "No."

* * *

**Minato's perspective**

I caught Kakashi's—the older one—gaze and I was surprised at the cold look in his one eye. It looked like ice—easily shattered, yet fragile, holding emotions and feelings none of us could comprehend. What had happened that made him like this? They say 'leopards don't change their spots', yet he had changed practically his whole pelt.

The younger Kakashi sighed and he put his hands behind his head, "I'm not surprised you guys are dead. You're all yelling 'teamwork, teamwork'. You probably died doing something stupid, like saving someone else's life." I noticed the older Kakashi visibly flinch at his words. Sasami and Arashi both sent death glares at him.

With a cold calm anger, Kakashi stared at his younger self. "They did. And someday, you will be me. _You_ will be the one yelling 'teamwork, teamwork'."

Kakashi looked up at his older self, "What do you mean?" There was a slight hint of fear in his voice.

The older Kakashi sighed in defeat, and pointed at Rin, Obito, and me. "You are all dead." His voice was strained, hiding the pain behind it. I shuddered, Kakashi was the only survivor of this generation of Team seven. But a small part of me wondered why we were dead. What had caused our deaths?

"H-how do we die?" Obito had lost his normal luster, and his voice was quivering.

Kakashi stared at him, "I can't tell. We've changed time enough by telling you this." I felt like protesting, but I knew he was right, no matter how much I wanted to know what happened to me. Or Kushina.

"Well," I spoke up. I doubted any of us had the energy to train after what had been revealed. "Training will be cancelled."

"Okay," Younger-Kakashi said. He jumped off and headed in the direction opposite of his house. Probably off to train elsewhere. Sometimes I worried about all the time he spent training, yet it seemed like he never stopped to rest. I was still considering asking him to come live with me.

"Ja ne," Older-Kakashi smiled, and Sasami and Arashi left after him.

"What's under his hitai-ate?" Obito asked once they were gone. "He never said." I considered the idea of telling him that it was sharingan, then thought otherwise. It was his own secrets, and if he felt like he didn't want to share the sharingan, then it was his choice.

I faked a shrug, "I don't know, he never said."

"I wonder if he has a cool battle scar or something!" Obito fantasized. I felt like rolling my eyes, despite meeting time travelers, the first thing he does it wonder why one of them covers an eye.

"Well, if you guys are up to training we can focus on shuriken practice," I smiled.

"Okay!" Rin grinned enthusiastically, and Obito leaped up eagerly.

* * *

**Time skip (five years later)**

* * *

**Naruto's perspective**

We came back from a morning training session, and we were walking back to the Hatake compound for some rest. Preferably some Ichiraku ramen, but Kakashi-sensei was feeling ungenerous.

Except something was wrong. Whether it was the gloomy aura surrounding the villagers, or the fact that Ichiraku ramen had a notice that it was temporarily closed, something was.

"The war's becoming worse," I heard one of the old women whispering to another.

"Yes, yes. Just when we thought we had it going pretty good, that Hatake fool had to mess up." Hatake? I glanced up at Kakashi-sensei, but he seemed to be focusing on something else than old women scorning at his father.

"Look where it got him now? An disgraced death!" One snarled.

"Don't even get started on his son!" Another said with disgust.

Finally, we passed by the group completely and we turned around the corner to the Hatake compound. Dirt and twigs littered the road and no footprints lined the path. It'd been unused for a long time. But I though Kakashi lived here. I looked up and my eyes bulged. I knew Kakashi had an abstract style but _this_?!

"Kakashi-sensei . . ." I stared at the silver-haired jounin who's single eye was widened in shock. "Why is there yellow caution tape surrounding the house?"

His brow furrowed, "Guys stay here, I need to check something . . . ." With that, he dissipated. A few moments later he was back. He glanced at us, "It's as I thought. We've gone into the future."

I looked around quickly. First the Hokage monument—nope still three faces. And everywhere else seemed the same.

Kakashi-sensei laughed nervously, "Actually more of five years in the future."

"What do you mean sensei?" Sakura asked.

"Well, apparently, we disappeared for training and never came back. This is actually good though," He smiled. "This gives us a hint about whatever sent us back in time. After all, it appears we're only getting sent back for important moments in my team's life." I wondered if his team ever got to see his face . . . .

"What's going on now?" I questioned. If it was only the important moments, then maybe we could learn about how his team died, and then we could help him! Determination surged through me as I anticipated his answer. Which, in fact, was the complete opposite of what I'd expected.

"The jounin exams."

"What does that have to do with your team, I though they were genin and chunin?" Sakura asked.

"Actually, in the time we skipped, they became chunin, and I'm taking the jounin exams—my past self at least," Kakashi-sensei explained. The jounin exams? He was only . . . _twelve _and he was taking the _jounin_ exams?! That was the time I became _genin! _Embarrassing was an understatement. "It should be the third round by now."

"What's that?" I asked.

"The chunin has to fight a jounin," Kakashi-sensei smiled nostalgically.

Sakura looked shocked, "And you have to _beat_ them?!" I recalled our bell test how the only reason we'd gotten a bell was because of the _icha icha_ book I'd given him. Thank Kami for Jiraya and his ridiculous books._  
_

He looked alarmed, "No, no. That's not supposed to happen. The jounin just evaluates the chunin's score and either passes or fails them."

"Well . . ." I gave a cheeky grin. "Let's go see Kakashi-sensei's past self get beat up by a jounin!" I walked off triumphantly.

"Um, Naruto, the arena is the opposite way," Sakura said in an exasperated tone. I felt my cheeks heat up, and I put my hands behind my head in the universal form of indifference. There went my triumphant attitude.

"I-I totally knew that!" I yelled loudly, and walked off in the opposite direction.

"Naruto . . ." Sakura groaned. I smiled inwardly as she and Kakashi-sensei followed me. No matter what, this was my family and I would protect that.

* * *

**That ended oddly. Next chapter: Jounin exams.**


	10. Jounin exams

**I updated because I felt guilty for not doing so for awhile, sorry! Um . . . so here's the chapter with a 'rare' author's note from me!**

**With great embarrassment I realize I've been spelling 'Yondaime' wrong this whole fic . . .(I've been spelling it as 'Yodamine'). As I'm too lazy to go back and change it throughout previous chapters, I will take care to spell it correctly from now on.**

**Secondly, this fanfiction currently has no direction and will just be basically going through main points in Kakashi's life. I have no idea how I'm going to end this, or the reason why they were sent in back in time. So if this ends randomly . . . um . . . yeah. . . .**

* * *

**(Younger) Kakashi's perspective**

I walked out into the sandy arena that was empty and surrounded by stands. I noticed in a higher, secluded booth sat the Hokage and several other ANBU guards.

_"I'm Hatake Kakashi__," the man smiled._

My eyes narrowed as the sunlight hit me. _No, I mustn't think of that now. Now I have to fight_. The last stage of the jounin exams was a fight against a jounin, then he or she would evaluate the chunin and that would affect if he or she became a jounin.

_"We're here to help you right?"_

_"No."_

As much as my 'future' self was annoying, carefree, and ridiculous, I couldn't help but wondering what made him—no, _me_, into the way I was in that time. _No, I must focus . . . it's been ages since we saw them anyways. _I glared at the opposite side of the arena where my opponent would come out of. It'd been a long time—five years to be precise—since we saw myself, Sasami, and Arashi. They'd said they would go out for training, but never came back. _Just another few people to leave me. Just like father. . . ._ I shook my head wildly, _no don't think of _him_ of all people! I must focus!_

A figure walked through the roadway.

I tensed, this would be the jounin I'd be fighting.

Clad in the normal jounin flak jacket, the man walked forward. He was of average height and wore a black jacket underneath, black pants, and sandals. He smiled and waved, but I could see it. The doubt. The annoyance. He was probably ranting in his mind about how he was stuck with the kid who probably wouldn't even pass. My lip curled in dislike, _I'll make it worth his time_.

I tensed up, and crouched down, waiting for him to move. He shifted down, and slowly, and discreetly, grabbed three shuriken from his weapon pouch._Too slow_, I sneered. I ran forward before he'd even began to throw the shuriken. I dodged one and another, but the third grazed my heel as I leaped out of the way. I winced and pushed the pain to the back of my mind, _I gotta focus!_

Forming the correct seals, I inhaled deeply. _Concentrate! I must get the timing correct!_ I pumped chakra to my feet and ran on the walls of the arena, going until I spotted a blind spot. Just as he turned around in alarm, I allowed myself a smile—_too slow_. I opened my eyes and scowled, "_Katon goukakyuu no jutsu_!" The flames roared and shot across the arena in a heartbeat.

He barely had enough time to dodge, but his jacket was seared with from the heat, and I could tell by the murmurings of the crowd that they were impressed. _Minato-sensei, get ready to watch me!_ I narrowed my eyes as we exchanged blows. I threw an explosive tag at his feet and as the smoke cloud rippled away, I saw he'd done "_Doton: Doryuheki" (_Earth release: earth style wall). I smiled shrewdly, _now this will get serious. __  
_

I flipped back and slid to a stop. _So he's a earth style user, though there's a possibility he knows a second element. Lightning jutsu will be effective against him, so I should use those if I go in close_. No one is expected to beat the jounin in the exams, _but I'll prove them wrong!_ Quickly doing the seals, I leaned down as I molded the raw chakra into my palm. "_Chidori!_"

_I'll blast through his wall with force!_ The chirping filled the air and my hair crackled upwards with the static electricity running through the silver strands. Running forward, speed increasing until everything was a blur except for my target, the mud wall. Drawing my arm back I threw it forward, waiting for it to smash through the wall.

_Sssss_. . . . My eyes widened as I picked up the sounds of metal wire being pulled. _A trap!_ I cut off the chakra feeding the _chidori _and leaped backwards as the shuriken tied to the wire whipped around. How did I get myself into this situation? I grit my teeth, _I was too reckless, he managed to set a trap_. Regardless if I was trapped or not, my performance had probably already guaranteed the rank of jounin, but I didn't care. I _would_ beat up this guy and win this thing.

I prove to them, to _all_ of them, that I was better than _him_.

_Lightning flashing outside the window, the drapes flapping around in the biting wind._

I wouldn't let anyone hinder me. I would become strong, the strongest shinobi.

_The flashes illuminate a figure on the ground and the light reflects on a liquid on the ground._

I will overcome his shadow, no matter how dark.

_The liquid's warm_.

I will become known throughout the five great nations.

_The silver haired boy kneeled down in shock, the warm liquid soaking his pants._

I will do what he never could.

_Father. . . ._

I will obey the rules.

I dodged throughout the shuriken, dancing and weaving between them. Kunai in one hand, I slashed away one that threatened to slice at my arm. I jumped over another and ducked under a swooping one. _This guy is good at shuriken jutsu, but I'll show him what real strength is!_ Finally, I'd come out of the maze of shuriken, and turned around to return the attack, when a loud voice from the crowds distracted me.

_No way. . . ._

"Nice job Kakashi!"

_It couldn't be him. . . ._

I looked up and saw him—still in the ridiculous orange jumpsuit. That boy. . . . Arashi. . . . He looked too much like Minato-sensei for my liking, but somehow it was an comfort to see him. To his side was Sasami and my future self, whom was watching with less enthusiasm than the others.

I blinked suddenly. Pain. I reached up and felt my cheek. A kunai had cut through the thin martial of my mask and warm blood met my fingers. Blocking out Arashi's supportive yells, I focused my gaze on the jounin. My fight was here.

* * *

**Normal perspective **

"Oi, Kakashi-sensei, how much longer is this?" Naruto groaned, as his belly rumbled for the fourth time.

Kakashi smiled nervously, "Naruto, have patience, it'll be over soon." Personally, he was bored out of his mind, having lived through this before, but Naruto couldn't exactly know that could he? Instead, Kakashi stared down at the arena, "Hm, looks like that jounin is almost out of chakra."

Suddenly eager, Naruto bend over and looked over the side, "Do you win Kakashi-sensei!?" He asked, awed.

Sakura groaned and rolled her eyes, "Honestly Naruto, _patience_!" She slammed her fist into his head. Kakashi was still wondering how Naruto still wasn't showing any signs of concussions after being punched by Sakura.

"Sakura!" Naruto whined.

Down at the arena, the younger Kakashi was panting, sweat on his face. _He's almost at his limit too_, Kakashi (older) observed. The other jounin had been weakened greatly by the three lightning-based attacks Kakashi had done, and the later hadn't been hindered by the other's complex shurikin jutsu anymore. Kakashi ran forward again, kunai in hand and was met by the jounin who had a shurikin in his quivering hand. Both were nearly at their limits, and the crowds were anticipating the near end.

With an exhausted effort, Kakashi threw three senbon with his unoccupied hand and kicked forward at the same time. The older man, dodging the senbon with some effort, the last cutting his shoulder, took the blow to the ribs hard. His breathing hitched, and the crowd held its breath.

The man looked up wearily, sweat coating his face, and in a final effort, pushed aside Kakashi's kunai and punched him in the gut. Naruto's excited cheering faded. _What's gonna happen? _He thought nervously. _Surly Kakashi-sensei wins?!_

Limp with exhaustion, the jounin's fist fell and the man flopped forward, a small plume of dust blown up form his impact with the sandy floor. Giving a weak smiled proudly, then fainted right beside the jounin.

Finally, the announcer stood up and spoke the final result.

Despite the fact it had never happened before with one so young, he yelled it out.

"Tie!"


	11. Revelations

**Again, I felt guilt after having that huge gap of the chapters, as well as announcing I might give up on this story, so here's the next chapter!**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

**Minato's perspective**

I turned around in shock and saw him.

Arashi. Yelling at the top of his lungs, supporting Kakashi with all his might. What was he doing here? After that day we didn't see them. We waited the first day. Then the next. Then the next, and so on. They never came back, yet here they were, at Kakashi's jounin exams, they were here. Why did they come back here to this time? If what I remembered was correct, they were time-travelers from the future, but . . . how. . . .?

The older Kakashi smiled at me, "Ah, hello again Minato!" He eye-smiled and I was still slightly disturbed that Kakashi got a sharingan . . . from somewhere. . . . I could still remember the blood red eye's gaze boring into my mind. The genjutsu caused by it was normal genjutsu yet for some reason, it seemed somewhat colder. More crude and harsh. Maybe because the eye was just_ there_ casting it, no natural forming of chakra, just staring at someone. Somehow that was less humane than the normal way of genjutsu, I didn't really know.

"Hello . . . Kakashi," I stared down at the arena as Kakashi finally beat the jounin. The announcer's cry of '_tie!'_ fell deaf upon my ears and I still couldn't comprehend how this _man_ was the little boy I'd taken care of. How could people change so much until you couldn't even recognize them, even if, like me, you'd raised them like a son?

The older man in front of me leaned against one of the banisters, "Good match neh?"

I nodded mutely as Kakashi walked out of the arena, using one of the by-standing medic nin as a support. Hopefully he would be alright. _Prodigy all right, he's probably the first one ever to tie with a jounin_, I mused. _For sure he'll become jounin_.

A impatient tug alerted me on my right. "Oi—Minato-sensei!" Obito whined, "Where's Kakashi going?"

I shot an apologetic glance at Kakashi and he nodded, unnoticed by Obito and Rin whom where busy staring at the younger one. I smiled, "He'll probably be going to the hospital to be fixed up." Despite having to be healed, Kakashi had done incredibly good, dodging the shuriken jutsu, and the other earth style jutsus. _Though being a lightning style user must help a lot as well_.

"Can we go see him then Minato-sensei?" The softer-voiced girl asked shyly.

I smiled knowingly. Throughout the years, Rin had built up a crush to Kakashi and she'd want to see he was well. "Let's go then," I encouraged and shot and cheerful look towards Kakashi's older self. Whatever happened, I knew I tried my best with him.

* * *

**Naruto's perspective**

I poked Kakashi-sensei. "Sensei, was that Minato over there?!" I asked excitedly. Even though to me it'd been a blink, I was already impatient to see my dad, even if he didn't know it, I would accept the quiet satisfaction of seeing him.

He looked down at me, "Yeah. They're heading to the Konoha Hospital."

Sakura looked worried, "Your mini-self needs hospitalization?! Maybe I could—"

"No," Kakashi-sensei cut in. "Your methods of healing are too close to Tsunade's. Others would notice immediately, especially since the sannin played a large role in this war." The war. The third shinobi war—my memory poured back. Oh right—Kakashi-sensei fought in the third shinobi war and even helped end it! The only reason I knew that last part was because Sakura lectured on and _on_ about the 'Kannabi Bridge' mission as it was known, due to it was the key factor in ending the war. Naturally I'd failed the test, but _some_ of the information still stayed in my mind. Somewhat.

"Let's go anyways!" I pleaded. I personally wanted to see Kakashi-sensei's younger self, maybe unconscious, it'd be easier to de-mask him. Probably not, but one could hope. I made giant puppy-eyes at him, but I had the feeling it was having no effect whatsoever.

Kakashi-sensei sighed, "Fine. I suppose one short visit wouldn't hurt."

Sakura smiled, "I wonder how Rin has progressed in her medic nin skills!"

"Yosh!" I gave a foxy grin—"Let's 'a go!"

* * *

The lady at the desk peered at her paper. "You would like to see patient Hatake, Kakashi?"

I huffed, _paperwork is utterly useless. Why do we have it? I hope when I'm Hokage I wont need to deal with that __rubbish_, I grumbled silently. I resisted the urge to run through the corridors, checking each room until I found Kakakshi. Unfortunately, knowing the mass size of the hospital, would probably take a _long_ time. Very, very long. Very. Being a shinobi just happened to be one of the most dangerous jobs out there.

"Ah, yes please," Kakashi-sensei said. _How does he stand it?_ I eyed him in disbelief. If you hadn't noticed already, patience was not one of my strong points.

"No visitors allowed that are not family or close friends," She stated calmly.

I heard Kakashi-sensei mutter about 'didn't want to do this'. In a movement faster than I could comprehend, he lifted the side of his hitai-ate and the sharingan whizzed around quickly. Finally after a few anxious moments, the lady slumped in her seat, face flat on the desk, and Kakashi-sensei covered up his eye again. Resisting the urge to scream, '_cool!_' I instead asked a question probably more appreciated.

"Err. . . . What did you do to her?" I asked nervously.

"Just a light sleep," Kakashi-sensei said. "Sakura check the papers, we'll need Kakashi's room."

Sakura grabbed the clipboard, which was bulging with papers, form the woman's desk and read through the papers quickly, flipping one page after another. I shuddered, must be horrible being a medic nin, so much pressure and don't even get _started_ on the paperwork. Her eyes scrolled down the page until they stopped. "Room B7 Kakashi-sensei."

"Ah, I know where that is," Kakashi-sensei smiled and he walked purposefully down the hall, Sakura and I rushing to keep up. Finally after too many lefts and rights to count, he stopped at a door. Before I could ask how he knew so well, he smiled, "I've spent a long time finding out ways to escape this place Naruto." I didn't want to know why exactly he hated hospitals.

We slid open the door and Minato, Rin and Obito were sitting beside the bed. Kakashi was sleeping lightly in the bed and he just had a few bandages from cuts form the shurikens. "Sensei—this is boring—" Obito's voice was caught off by Rin.

"You guys!" Rin grinned, but her eyes were questioning. "When did you guys get here?!"

"Why'dya leave?!" Obito grumbled.

"Sasami!" Rin smiled and walked up to her, eager to share news. "I saved some shinobis' lives when we were positioned on the front lines!" If I'd been drinking water, I would've choked. These guys, who were just like Sakura and I—_kids_, had been placed on the _battlefield_?! On the _front lines _at that?! What did war do to the shinobi world?

Sakura nodded encouragingly, but I could tell my thoughts were running through her mind. "Great job!"

Obito ran towards me with exaggerated desperation, "Help me Arashi! Save me! This is so boring! Watching Bakashi sleep is _so _incredibly boring!" I felt like laughing, '_Bakashi'_ Oh, I _had_ to use that on Kakashi-sensei someday. . . . But . . . _Arashi_. It wasn't right. After everything we'd been through. . . .

Something felt wrong to me. I stared at Kakashi-sensei and tried to communicate my feelings. He seemed to understand and nodded slowly. I could feel as if he was just yelling at me, "_Careful Naruto_." Yeah, yeah, don't effect the future and such, but _us_ being here was already doing that. Couldn't we at least do it honestly?

"No. . . ." I started. Obito stared at me and Minato looked at me in interest. "M-my name isn't Arashi. . . ." I stumbled over my words nervously. "My name is . . . Uzumaki Naruto."

* * *

**Please PM me if you have any ideas for this story as my inspiration is slowly trickling out which is why my updates are infrequent. My apologies if you like this story and wish for it to come out faster.**


	12. New mission?

**Note that this isn't a very action-y chapter as it's paving way for the big next chapter so sit tight and bear with me!**

* * *

**Chapter 12**

**Minato's perspective**

I felt shock go through me as the boy's words registered to me.

Uzumaki.

My mind instantly thought of a certain strawberry-head. _Kushina!_ I stared at him, was it possible that he was somehow related to her, or was just a stray member of the long gone Uzumaki clan? Either way, it was obvious how he was an Uzumaki, _if their tempers have anything to do with the clan_, I shuddered at the thought of Kushina's anger at times. My near deaths had not been helped along by Jiraya—_just like having a Tsunade, but much more lovable_, I grimaced.

Naruto.

At this point, I was slightly confused. _Who in their right minds would name their son after ramen_? I wondered silently. I peered at the boy, _who _could _his parents be?_

I stared to the pink-haired girl next to him. She was definitely not named 'Sasami' if the other two were hiding their names. But if they were from the future, surely they had a important reason for not telling us who they were?

Looking slightly annoyed, the girl sighed, "Hrpmh. Kakashi-sensei, I still don't think this is wise." She looked at me with a dead-panned look, "My name is Haruno Sakura." Cherry tree? Her last name was the same, I paused for a moment scanning through my memory of shinobi clans. Haruno. . . . It must've been a normal citizen family.

I still had a slightly giddy feeling inside me, Kakashi became a genin sensei! I looked proudly down at the younger Kakashi's sleeping form in the bed. I stood up from the stool I was sitting upon and walked up to the nurse. "How long does he have to be in bed?"

"Not long. He sustained surprisingly little damage, we just wanted to check up on his chakra valves and other things to make sure he was alright. He drained himself quite a lot," She reported.

There was another reason I was so excited. I didn't want to tell the others until the said shinobi woke up, but after the judges saw his performance and the fact Kakashi had given the opposing jounin a mild concussion, Kakashi had been promoted. He was technically, jounin now. I nodded to the woman, "Thank you—when will he wake up?"

"Patience, he'll be awake soon," She checked on the monstrous pile of paper attached to her clipboard.

"Ah, thanks," I waved and walked back into the room.

Sakura and Rin were currently holding back Obito from drawing a mustache on Kakashi's face. Meanwhile, Naruto was goading Obito on eagerly, and Kakashi's older self made no attempt to stop them, only showing slight amusement on his face. I felt like groaning, _why do I put up with these people?__  
_

At that moment, Kakashi groaned and sat up in the bed. "Minato-sensei. . . .?" He grumbled through his sleepy haze. "Did I pass?"

I smiled broadly, "Yup!"

A tired smile was seen through his mask.

I looked at saw Naruto, Sakura, Obito, and Rin crossed between awe and enthusiasm. Though they couldn't really be surprised after Kakashi's performace. I could've sworn Kakashi's older self was yawning with boredom. In his defense he'd knew it'd happen, he had lived through it once himself after all.

I leaned back proudly, "After this let's go and get Ichirak—" A squawk interrupted my suggestion. I looked to the side and saw a hawk pecking patiently at the window. Before it could crack through, I opened up the window and let it in. It jabbed at my hand and I recoiled in pain as it thrust out its leg in an impatient manner. _The Hokage_, I thought.

Untying the note I read silently to myself.

* * *

Dear Minato,

I'm sorry for the short notice, and so short after Kakashi's jounin exams—congratulations as well!—but your team is going to be sent on another mission, after all this is war. The three travelers can come along too as I saw them at the exams. I don't know where they've been or why they left but if you trust them Minato they can come. I will trust your judgement. The mission will be C rank and will serve as Kakashi's first mission as jounin. Set off tomorrow at dawn. He has been requested by the elders to lead the main part of the mission so they can see his capabilities as a leader. You are to go to Kannabi Bridge and destroy it. According to spies, it is the main link of trade for the Iwa nin and will likely help determine the fate of this war.

Best of luck,

Sarutobi Hiruzen; Sandaime

* * *

I read over the words, heartbeat hastening quickly.

_He has been requested by the elders to lead the main part of the missio nso they can see his capabilities as a leader_—I scoffed in my mind. All they meant was that they didn't trust Kakashi after his father's death. Resisting the urge to rip the paper into shreds I began to read it out loud to the team, excluding the part about the 'short notice' part. Like it or not, my team was painfully eager to do the missions. Eager to serve Konoha, even though they were just about thirteen.

They were too young to be thrust into war like this. But they were, and there was nothing we could do about it.

"We're gonna destroy the bridge?!" Rin asked in awe.

As the elders instructed, Kakashi would lead Rin, Naruto, Sakura, and Obito, I organized in my head. From what I could tell, Kakashi's older self was experienced in battle, and would be a welcome help in the front lines. If all went well, Kakashi would be approved of by the elders. I fingered a three pronged kunai in my pocket. After a few years, while the travelers were gone, I'd worked on, and mostly perfected my flying thunder god technique.

Despite the mission nearly grantee to go smoothly, just as a safety caution and to relax my worries, I'd give Kakashi one of the kunai in case if I needed to come help.

I nodded solemly, "We'll split up. Kakashi will take you, Obito, Naruto, and Sakura and the older Kakashi and me will go to front lines to distract the Iwa nin to give you time to get to the bridge. You'll have to rely on stealth to get you past them without their noticing," I summarized. I noticed Kakashi's older self visibly stiffened at my grouping but forced himself to relax.

I pushed to the back of my mind. _What was the worst thing that could've happened?_ I shrugged mentally.

* * *

**It's slightly amusing to myself how clueless Minato is. I'm surprised I finished this in one sitting! Hope you guys enjoyed and I have a feeling you all know what's coming up next!**


	13. The fated mission (Part 1)

**Chapter 13**

**Normal Perspective**

Shadows danced around, the morning sun casting a bright light against the weathered trees that outcropped throughout the clearing. They creaked softly in the gentle breeze, and it was almost as if they were silently watching, waiting in anticipation for the change to happen.

Minato stood in the clearing, gazing around calmly, shining cyan eyes not giving a trace of his worries. He dipped his head to the silver-haired jounin that walked into the clearing, early as ever. Kakashi stared back, dark onyx eyes staring, reflecting his boredom, "_Sensei_ when is Obito getting here? Will I have to drag him from his room again? Kakashi personally wasn't looking forward to doing so again, he shuddered slightly at the remembrance of watching Obito attempting to kiss Rin through the team picture. _Never going through _that _again_, Kakashi thought.

The Yellow Flash shrugged helplessly, smiling gratefully as he saw the brown-haired female of the team appear to ease up the awkward air. "Good morning sensei!" Staring at Kakashi shyly, Rin smiled, "Congratulations on become jounin, Kakashi. . . ." She blushed hesitantly, as Kakashi nodded stiffly.

The two time-travelers' arrival was announced by the orange-clad knucklehead's loud shouts. "Yo! Uzumaki Naruto is here~_dattebayo!_" Naruto yelled eagerly. Sakura followed behind him, with a less enthusiastic manner.

"'Morning guys," She dipped her head, and frowned slightly. "I don't know where Kakashi-sensei is. . . ."

"Probably gonna be late as _always_," Naruto grumbled, putting his arms behind his head in a relaxed manner.

Luckily, a few seconds latter Obito ran up, panting. "Did I make it? Am I late?" He wheezed, taking large breaths.

Before he could start his long list of excuses, Minato held up a hand. "No, not too late—I told you to come here an hour early, as I had an idea this would happen." Minato grinned cheekily under Obito's exasperated stare.

Sakura sat down on the grass, and Rin crouched down next to her. They started to quietly converse, and Minato sighed, finally submitting himself to the truth that they were going to have to wait a while for Kakashi's future self. _Out of all the ways he changed, the _least _he could've done is keep coming early_, he groaned.

* * *

Kakashi strolled down the pathway, humming to himself as he listened to birds chirping above. _Hm, I should be comfortably late now. . . . _He contemplated. Since the memorial stone was smooth of Rin and Obito's names, he hadn't really known what to do with his time. He shrugged, _eh, thirty minutes, a bit sad for a man of my reputation. . . . _

Naruto leaped up, "Sensei—!"

Kakashi smiled, "I was lost on the road of life. . . ." _More of the road of memories_, Kakashi smiled ironically to himself as he watched his younger self raise an eyebrow of annoyance. _I never would've thought irritating myself would be so fun!_

Minato shook head, "At least you came. So, you guys know the grouping right?"

They nodded, as waiting for Kakashi had given plenty of time to go over the separate teams.

"Oh! Yeah. . . ." Rin dipped her hand through her pack, shuffling through her items, until she brought out a small cube. She handed it to Kakashi, "Uh . . . this is a medical kit . . . so you can heal youself!" She rushed on, blushing. "It's for you. Since you—ah, passed the jounin exams!" She smiled nervously, watching as Kakashi judged the package.

"Hm." He tested it's weight and put it in his pack. "Thanks."

Minato smiled, fingering a three-pronged kunai. "Here. It's a special hand-made kunai. It's a bit hefty, but once you get used to it, it's a good weapon."

"Thanks sensei." Kakashi said, voice not moving from his monotonous tone.

Naruto stared at him, _honestly! Lighten up! _He shrugged, _Well, can't really say anything since I didn't get him anything. . . ._

Kakashi held out his hand to Obito. The boy stared back guiltily, "What?!"

"Do you have a gift?" Kakashi said, looking at him doubtfully.

"N-no! Why would I get something for a jerk like you?" Obito struggled for an excuse.

Kakashi rolled his eyes. "Doesn't matter. Whatever you'd give me would probably would just be junk. I don't need _trash_."

Minato frowned, "Kakashi—be nice." Kakashi looked down, but looked no closer to apologizing than him swallowing a lemon.

Minato sighed, _he's stronger, acts like an adult, but he's still practically a kid. He has the mind of a child, no matter how much he's been hailed genius and prodigy. _Minato looked down at the silver-haired boy, proud as well as exasperated. _What am I going to do with you Kakashi?_

The group traveled in silence.

* * *

"Okay, here we split up." Minato announced at a fork in the road. He felt a small tug of doubt in his mind that kept screaming at him, _don't do it! Something's wrong!_ But he shook it off, _they'll be fine, what's the worst that could happen?_

Kakashi nodded, waving to Obito, Rin, Sakura, and Naruto. "Let's go."

With five identical flickers, they made for the trees, their only trace the sound of rustling leaves. A few green leaves fell to the ground, blending with the sea of grass. The only sound for a while between Minato and Kakashi was the wind whistling through the leaves.

Finally Minato shook away his doubts. _It'll be fine_. "Okay, we should move now."

"Rodger."

* * *

Kakashi led them through the tangle of trees. He peered back to check on the others, _I swear if Obito is holding us back. . . . _He shook away his worries, _this is my first solo-leading mission, that crybaby better not._

They leaped from branch to branch in silence, their feet pounding against the wood with soft thumps. Wind howled through the branches and Kakashi looked around warily. _I feel like something's following us. . . ._

_Wham_.

He felt warm arms around him, and his dark eyes widened as he saw Sakura was pushing him out of the way. His eyes darted around, analyzing the scene. Naruto and Obito were crouched low, and Rin was ducking behind a trunk. A wave of kunai was embedded in the far tree trunk. Kakashi stared in disbelief at the pink-haired kunoichi. _She _saved _me_. Kakashi's teeth grit together, _no, this is _my _mission. _

He shook her off, and stiffened as he looked around. _Now. . . . who sent that volley? _Kakashi got a kunai in his hand and the others did likewise. Almost subconsciously, they backed up, back-to-back with each other, making a misshapen pentagon. The clearing that they were stuck in had a large puddle that was almost like a mini-lake, formed from the long rains that had been happening. The ground, too damp to absorb anymore water, just had the dirty water sit on top of the squishy mud.

_Spash_.

Kakashi whipped around, ripples smashing through the calm surface of the water. In the air, something rippled in front of Kakashi, and it almost looked as if a face was sneering at him for a while. Kakashi blinked, but the face disappeared. He shook his head, _no, just being paranoid. . . ._

The memory flashed before his eyes.

_Lightning was striking all around._

Then it starting going all wrong.

_Illuminating the body._

First Naruto shouted loudly, screaming for help.

_His face._

The face.

_Dead. Cold. Nothing left, but a bitter memory._

The sneering face appeared behind the orange-clad boy.

_Cold blood. Cold skin. Nothing but death, ripening in the air._

The man pressed a knife to Naruto's throat.

_Nothing left to fight for. Helpless. Too far gone. . . ._

A shout. His name. From afar it seemed, shrouded with a mist he couldn't shake off.

_"Kakashi!"_

"Kakashi!"

_Minato ran forward, grasping the stiff boy._

"Kakashi! Do something!" Sakura's face shouted at him.

_"Kakashi! Get up! You aren't helpless anymore!"_

Sakura and Minato's faces blended, but one thing was clear. Their voices'—shouting loud and clear.

**"Kakashi!"**

Kakashi blinked, as if coming out of a daydream.

The man materialized on the log, Naruto in his arms. "I'm taking this one," He grunted.

Naruto glared at him, "Not if I can help it!" He grunted, and finally managed to move his arms which were pinned to his sides by the man. Groaning from the effort, through clenched teeth, Naruto shouted: "_Kage bunshin no justsu!" _

Two more of him appeared. The first jutted out his arm and the second clawed the air around his palm. Starting slowly, wind started howling, concentrating in the midst of his palm. A dark blue chakra-concentrated ball of energy emerged in him hand. _I don't care if we're messing up the future! _Naruto thought angrily, _I'm becoming Hokage and I can't do that if I'm dead!_

"_Rasengan!" _

* * *

The man flew back and slammed into a tree from the push of the rasengan.

He grunted, but still managed a cocky smile. "You guys don't have the largest of attention spans do you?"

"What?" Obito glared obnoxiously, "He just whooped your butt—you can't speak!" He pointed at Naruto who beamed.

The same ripples came from the air next to him, and another shinobi materialized next to him.

With Rin in his grip.

Her eyes were wide, but his hand was clapped over her mouth. The only thing they could hear was muffled screams. He withdrew his hand in disgust when she bit his hand. "_Run! _Leave guys!"

"No!" Obito yelled, but at the same time, Kakashi dipped his head coolly.

The others stared at him, shock played upon their gaze.

He nodded seriously, "The mission must go on, no matter what the sacrifice."

_At least you taught me one thing, dad. _


End file.
